This outstanding brass/bronze head was made by the
Asante/Ashanti peoples, a subgroup of the Akan on
what was once named the Gold Coast – now Ghana. It
is a remarkable object, in terms of conceptualisation,
construction and preservation. It is a model of a male
head, down to the mid neck where there is a flared
base which acts as a stand.The neck is elongated,
supporting a high, domed head with a pointed chin
and a flange-like beard. The facial topography is
reduced to a minimum, and most features are
emphasised through the addition of superstructures
including arched eyebrows, square keloid scars at the
temples and forehead, rounded ears, a sharp,
triangular nose and slightly parted lips. The coiffure
is likewise applied as a series of eminences that
encircle the frontal perimeter of the head. The eyes
are applied as almond-shaped eminences surrounded
by thin, discrete rims. The casting is superb, with
small flaws indicading the thinness of the metal and
thus the refinement of the casting process. The metal
has acquired an irregular dark patina with age, with
recessed patches (notably around the eyes)
displaying a lighter tone that may reflect the
application of libations.
The Akan are a loose assemblage of tribes – including
the Akuapem, the Akyem, the Ashanti, the Baoulé,
the Anyi, the Brong, the Fante and the Nzema – that
share general cultural trends while maintaining
separate tribal identities. Their society is highly
ritualised, with numerous gods under a main deity
(Onyame – the Supreme One – is the Asante deity)
and a host of lesser gods (Abosom) connected with
the natural world (earth, ocean, rivers, animals etc).
The society is ruled by Asantahenes, and a host of
minor chiefs who claim royal status through their
connection with the land and the founders of villages
upon it. One factor that unites the Akan is the fact
that they took a golden stool as their emblem and
rose up against the European invaders in the 18th
century. They have also staved off interest from
Northern Islamic groups. The main reason for this
imperial interest was the long history of gold mining
and gold working in the area, which has been taking
place for at least 600 years.
The Ashanti make regalia and artworks in all the
notable material forms. In terms of wood, they are
particularly known for their akuab’ba dolls, ornate
stools and everyday objects such as combs. In terms
of metalware, they are especially good at the creation
of artefacts in gold and brass/bronze. Signifiance
varies; while gold artefacts are invariably designed
for courtly regalia – and to show off one’s material
wealth among elites – brass has less overall intrinsic
value and thus usefulness as a signalling device. The
main objects to be made in this metal include gold
weights, vessels (kuduo and forowa) and everyday
objects of adornment. The fact that brass is used to
manufacture portrait heads in other parts of West
Africa – notably among the Yoruba/Benin – makes it
likely that this is the case for the current piece.
The make-up of the face is interesting because it
differs exceedingly from Yoruba patterns – that are
essentially integrated in terms of their facial features,
which form part of the original casting – and instead
has a plain, almost flat face adorned with features
that are subsequently attached to the surface. This
pattern, which is somewhat reminiscent of akua’ba
dolls, has been observed in a subset of the Asante
polity, that of the Kwahu group. While technically part
of the Ashanti, this subset is noted for its unusual
formatting of the human face and figure.
The identity of the person portrayed is necessarily
obscure. However, the expense involved in making
such a piece is notable, and it is thus likely to
represent a person – real or fictional – of
considerable import to the society which produced it.
This is an exceptional piece of African art.
