Stella

Dan, Liberia
Late 19th/Early 20th Century
Previous Collection: William Siegmann (Former curator of African Art at the Brooklyn Museum)

This unusual Dan piece is known as a Kedie; or sometimes Stella. These are kept at shrines when retired but when in use they are powerful judgment pieces. These objects are very feared by the community.. This example is less abstract than most Kedie; it is more naturalistic for this is a partial figure; with truncated arms and an expressive face with metal insertions for teeth. The wood is hard and has developed a deep blackened patina from decades of use. Collected in the field by William Siegmann

This Figure stands 6.5” Tall

SOLD / 7-9-11