|
HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Anyi, Attye, Lagoons Region : Attye Wooden Ancestor Sculpture
|
 |
|
|
|
Attye Wooden Ancestor Sculpture - PF.6013
Origin: Ivory Coast
Circa: 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
22" (55.9cm) high
Collection: African
Style: Attye
Medium: Wood
Location: Great Britain
|
|
|
| Photo Gallery |
|
|
| Description |
The Attye people are one of the major tribes that
inhabit the Lagoon region of the southeastern
Ivory Coast. Artistically, they are heavily
indebted to their neighbors, the Baule. This
sculpture depicts a man standing erectly with his
arms held two his side. His hair has been
groomed into and elaborate coiffure that is
reflective of his position and rank within Attye
society. His hair rises in a cruciform shape of
four arching crests surmounted by a central bun.
He also wears a carefully trimmed beard that
falls from his chin. By far, the most fascinating
feature of this glorious sculpture is the intricately
rendered keloid scarification that decorates his
body. Such scarifications were considered both
marks of beauty as well as signs of elite status.
His back, the back of his neck, his face, chest,
and shoulders are all dotted with scars shaped
like cowrie shells. Meanwhile, the front of his
neck, the top of his chest, and his elongated
stomach are covered with bands featuring a grid
pattern. These remarkable decorations amplify
the beauty of both the sculpture and the persona
it represents. This sculpture probably
commemorates a deceased ancestor who was
continually revered in the form of this work of
art. In a society void of photography, sculptures
were used to memorialize and honor the dead.
In fact, the deceased were believed to play an
active role in the lives of their descendents from
beyond the grave. Thus such a work is not just a
passive record of an individual but an active tool
through with the favor of the deceased’s spirit
can be influenced for the benevolence of the
entire community.
- (PF.6013)
|
| |
|
