Lot 45D
West Africa, southeastern Cote d'Ivoire and southwestern Ghana, Akan Agni or Anyi, ca. early 20th century CE. A commanding wooden figure of a standing nude female, rendered with the distinctive stylization of the Akan Agni or Anyi peoples of West Africa. The figure's elongated cylindrical neck rises in a column of stacked rings, supporting an enlarged head crowned with an intricately carved, flat-brimmed hat. The serene, mask-like face is framed by incised linear markings along the cheeks and brow, conveying both beauty and symbolic identity. Her torso is defined by a pair of prominent, rounded breasts and a deeply incised geometric panel extending down the abdomen, possibly referencing scarification patterns associated with maturity, fertility, or social status. The arms hang straight at the sides, ending in simplified, pointed hands, while the short, sturdy legs terminate in broad, block-like feet planted firmly on the integral base. Size: 3.9" L x 4" W x 16.1" H (9.9 cm x 10.2 cm x 40.9 cm); 16.9" H (42.9 cm) on included custom stand.
Figures of this type often served as shrine objects or fertility effigies, embodying ancestral presence and the promise of lineage continuity. The careful attention to proportion, posture, and surface detail reflects both artistic sensibility and cultural significance, transforming the figure into an object of veneration as well as a striking sculptural form.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, acquired in 2010 via descent; ex-private collection of Ralph T. Coe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, purchased in April 2002; ex-Taylor Dale Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, acquired at a southern England County Auction, UK; ex-English, UK collection
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#196229
- Condition: Some stable fissures to verso with one flange missing to brim of hat. Some nicks and abrasions to surface, but otherwise, nice presentation with good remaining detail.
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