"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.
Instead, carvers draw upon a wide repertoire of
facial styles that appear on other spiritual statues
and masks. This heddle pulley is covered with
the representation of four distinct faces crowded
together. The two heads with long beards on the
sides are both a bit larger than the other two.
The faces are all drastically elongated
emphasizing the angular lines of the jaw. Two of
the heads wear elegant coiffures, masterfully
carved, while the other two wear intricately
woven caps. The beauty of these faces has all
been enhanced by the decorative scars along
their cheeks and foreheads. Overall, this
stunning pulley shows the delicacy of carving and
skillful composition that is prized by African
carvers.
- (PF.5888)
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