Doll
Fanti, Ghana
Early 20th Century
Provenance: Private American Collection

Circular-headed fertility figures are consecrated by priests and carried by women who hope to conceive a child. Carried wrapped in the backs of their skirts, these objects mimic the manner in which infants are carried. The disk-like head is an exaggerated convention of the Akan ideals of beauty. The oval forehead and flattened facial features highlight the small delicate mouth set low on the figure’s face. The coiffure is designated by a series of grid like carvings while the long neck is ringed to enhance its appearance. The cylindrical torso is seamlessly uninterrupted besides the addition of two abstracted breasts to indicate gender.

Height: 8 inches
11-1-16 / SOLD

 

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