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Like the gold weights of the Akan peoples and
the heddle pulleys of the Baule and Senufo
tribes, the bronze figures of the Dan are
considered to be the exceptional case in the
corpus of African art: art objects created for art’s
sake. Void of any religious significance or
ceremonial function, these realistically crafted
sculptures were used by chieftains as purely
decorative objects. The chieftain took pleasure
in them as they are, appreciating the
extraordinary beauty of the objects and the
inherent skills of the craftsmanship.
This sculpture of a bearded male, standing stiffly
with his arms held at his sides, bears the stylistic
signatures of Dan figurative art including the
bulbous limbs, planar feet and hands, and the
almond-shaped eyes. There is evidence of ritual
scarification on his cheeks, resembling two
coffee beans, probably relating to an initiation
ceremony. There is also a relative emphasis
placed on the lower half of the body that is
rendered much thicker and heavier than the
upper portion. Over the years, the bronze has
acquired a rich green patina in certain places
that contrast quite elegantly to the golden hue of
the metal. Such a splendid masterpiece of
sculpture needs no ceremonial or religious
purpose to achieve its power. The force of this
artwork is the art itself and the hand of the
sculptor. Originally, this work was coveted as an
object of beauty by chieftains of the Dan tribe.
Today, we appreciate this same striking beauty
much as the chieftain would have almost a
century ago.
- (PF.5842)
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