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HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Anyi, Attye, Lagoons Region : Attye Wooden Sculpture of a Seated Man
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Attye Wooden Sculpture of a Seated Man - PF.6014
Origin: Ivory Coast
Circa: 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
12.25" (31.1cm) high
Collection: African
Style: Attye
Medium: Wood
$1,200.00
Location: United States
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| 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 seated upon a throne,
the penultimate symbol of authority in Africa.
This fact, coupled with the woven cap that
crowns his head, suggest that this figure
represents a high-ranking individual within the
elite class of Attye society. His clasped hands,
with holes running through them, imply that
certain objects were once attached and
completed the regalia. Perhaps he once held a
staff or spear of some sort, both also symbols of
rank and rulership within African society. The
sculptor has also paid careful attention to a
decorative sash of cowrie shells that crossed his
torso. This wonderfully rendered ornament may
be based on and actual piece of jewelry that
would have been associated with the depicted
individual. This sculpture probably
commemorates a deceased ancestor who was
continually adulated 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.6014)
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