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HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Anyi, Attye, Lagoons Region : Attye Wooden Ancestor Sculpture
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Attye Wooden Ancestor Sculpture - PF.6015
Origin: Ivory Coast
Circa: 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
22.5" (57.2cm) high
Collection: African
Style: Attye
Medium: Wood
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 woman standing erectly with
her bulbous arms held to her side. Her hair has
been gathered into two large egg-shaped buns
that project from her head just above her ears.
Her diminutive face is typical of the Attye style
including her bulging lenticular eyes and her
arching brows that merge into her inverted T-
shaped nose. The small pegs that protrude
slightly from the sides of her neck, her stomach,
and her back are characteristic of the artistic
output from this region of the Ivory Coast.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this
sculpture is the way in which the sculptor has
treated her hands and feet. Every joint and
knuckle on her fingers and toes are individually
rendered creating a unique effect. 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 in 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.6015)
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