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HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
AS.On Loan : Kulango Wooden Heddle Pulley
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Kulango Wooden Heddle Pulley - PF.5918
Origin: Ghana
Circa: 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
8.5" (21.6cm) high
x 2.75" (7.0cm) wide
Collection: African
Medium: Wood
Additional Information: AS
£1,200.00
Location: UAE
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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.
Senufo
artists draw upon a wide repertoire of facial
styles that appear on statues for spirits and
masks. This heddle pulley takes on the form of
an elephant complete with elongated trunk and
exaggerated round ears. The elephant is a tribal
symbol of might and strength and an
international symbol for all of Africa. White
highlights emphasize the eyes and tusks of this
majestic creature. Overall, this charming
sculpture shows the delicacy, smoothness of
finish, and skillful composition that are prized by
African carvers.
- (PF.5918)
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