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HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Kulango : Kulango Wooden Heddle Pulley
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Kulango Wooden Heddle Pulley - PF.5942
Origin: Ghana
Circa: 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
9.75" (24.8cm) high
x 3.25" (8.3cm) wide
Collection: African
Style: Kulango
Medium: Wood
$4,000.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
"Nobody likes to live without beautiful things,"
replied a Guro weaver when asked why he hung
a decoratively carved pulley on his wooden post
loom set up beneath a mango tree. The
decorative features of West African heddle
pulleys -- devices that hold the heddles in
looms -- are created solely for aesthetic
satisfaction, and have no ritual or magical
purpose. The delicately carved figure on the
pulley peers down at the weaver as he works and
becomes his constant visual companion. The
formal composition of these small pieces shows
great virtuosity and variation: the artists strive
for originality, ingenuity, elegance, and
imaginative effects.
Naturalistic faces occur rarely on pulleys. Artists
draw upon a wide repertoire of facial styles that
are drawn from statues and masks or look to the
natural world for inspiration. This heddle pulley
takes on the form of an elephant complete with
curved trunk, tusks, and exaggerated round ears.
The elephant is a tribal symbol of might and
strength as well as an international symbol for
the greater African continent. White highlights
emphasize the tusks and inner ears of this
majestic creature in addition to its eyes and the
folds of its elongated head. Overall, this
charming sculpture is a perfect example of the
delicacy, smoothness of finish, and skillful
composition that are prized by African carvers.
- (PF.5942)
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