Fanti Ancestor Statue - Ghana
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 350 - € 400
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Description from the seller
Origin. Ghana
Tribe name. Fante/fanti
Material. Wood
Dimension. 65 cm
Shipping mode. Colissimo within 24-48h open
This statuette is a classic example of the sculptural art of the Fante (or Fanti), a people of the Akan group living mainly on the coast of Ghana.
This standing female figure is carved in a dense wood with a dark, oily patina. Unlike the Akua’ba dolls of the Ashanti (their neighbors), which often have a highly schematic cylindrical body, Fante statuettes tend toward a more stylized realism at the body level.
The head: It features an oval, elongated face. The almond-shaped eyes are almost closed, topped with fine eyebrows. Scarrifications on the temples and forehead can be observed, marks of identity and beauty.
The coiffure: The most distinctive element is the tall, slender headdress, rising vertically, often interpreted as a stylization of traditional complex hairstyles or a symbol of status.
The sculpture highlights traits related to fertility and maturity:
The chest: The breasts are long and conical (pendant), which, in Akan aesthetics, symbolize a woman who has already breastfed, representing lineage and the continuity of the family.
The neck: Horizontal folds (rings) are visible at the neck, signs of beauty, health, and prosperity.
The arms: They are carved along the body with hands usually resting on the hips or the lower abdomen, framing the navel which is often prominent.
The piece is complemented with bead adornments (glass or faceted glass) around the neck and waist. For the Fante, these beads are not only decorative; they have a protective function and indicate the social rank of the individual or spirit depicted.
These statuettes, although sometimes mistaken for toys by early European observers, have deep ritual functions:
Fertility cult: Worn by women to aid conception or ensure the beauty of the unborn child.
Objects of memory: They can serve as receptacles for ancestral spirits or be placed on family altars to attract blessings to the matrilineal lineage.
Aesthetic note: The rigid verticality and the balance of proportions of this piece reflect a high level of technical mastery, typical of the Akan beauty canon where harmony of shapes mirrors moral harmony.
Origin. Ghana
Tribe name. Fante/fanti
Material. Wood
Dimension. 65 cm
Shipping mode. Colissimo within 24-48h open
This statuette is a classic example of the sculptural art of the Fante (or Fanti), a people of the Akan group living mainly on the coast of Ghana.
This standing female figure is carved in a dense wood with a dark, oily patina. Unlike the Akua’ba dolls of the Ashanti (their neighbors), which often have a highly schematic cylindrical body, Fante statuettes tend toward a more stylized realism at the body level.
The head: It features an oval, elongated face. The almond-shaped eyes are almost closed, topped with fine eyebrows. Scarrifications on the temples and forehead can be observed, marks of identity and beauty.
The coiffure: The most distinctive element is the tall, slender headdress, rising vertically, often interpreted as a stylization of traditional complex hairstyles or a symbol of status.
The sculpture highlights traits related to fertility and maturity:
The chest: The breasts are long and conical (pendant), which, in Akan aesthetics, symbolize a woman who has already breastfed, representing lineage and the continuity of the family.
The neck: Horizontal folds (rings) are visible at the neck, signs of beauty, health, and prosperity.
The arms: They are carved along the body with hands usually resting on the hips or the lower abdomen, framing the navel which is often prominent.
The piece is complemented with bead adornments (glass or faceted glass) around the neck and waist. For the Fante, these beads are not only decorative; they have a protective function and indicate the social rank of the individual or spirit depicted.
These statuettes, although sometimes mistaken for toys by early European observers, have deep ritual functions:
Fertility cult: Worn by women to aid conception or ensure the beauty of the unborn child.
Objects of memory: They can serve as receptacles for ancestral spirits or be placed on family altars to attract blessings to the matrilineal lineage.
Aesthetic note: The rigid verticality and the balance of proportions of this piece reflect a high level of technical mastery, typical of the Akan beauty canon where harmony of shapes mirrors moral harmony.
Details
Number of objects
1
Country of Origin
Ghana
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Fanti Ancestor Statue
Height
65 cm
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
