Fanti Ancestor Statue - Ghana
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 300 - € 350
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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 opened
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 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 statues tend toward a more stylized realism at the body level.
The head: It features an oval, elongated face. The eyes are almond-shaped, almost closed, topped with fine brows. Scarifications on the temples and forehead mark identity and beauty.
The headdress: The most distinctive element is the tall, narrow crown, 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 nursed, thus representing lineage and the continuity of the family.
The neck: Horizontal folds (rings) around the neck are 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 adorned with bead jewelry (glass or faceted glass) around the neck and waist. Among the Fante, these beads are not merely decorative; they have a protective function and indicate the social rank of the individual or the spirit represented.
These statuettes, though sometimes mistaken for toys by early European observers, have deep ritual functions:
Fertility cult: Worn by women to aid conception or to 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 draw blessing on the matrilineal line.
Aesthetic note: The rigid verticality and the balance of proportions of this piece testify to a high technical mastery, typical of the Akan beauty canon where harmony of forms reflects moral harmony.
Origin. Ghana
Tribe name. Fante/Fanti
Material. Wood
Dimension. 65 cm
Shipping mode. Colissimo within 24-48h opened
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 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 statues tend toward a more stylized realism at the body level.
The head: It features an oval, elongated face. The eyes are almond-shaped, almost closed, topped with fine brows. Scarifications on the temples and forehead mark identity and beauty.
The headdress: The most distinctive element is the tall, narrow crown, 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 nursed, thus representing lineage and the continuity of the family.
The neck: Horizontal folds (rings) around the neck are 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 adorned with bead jewelry (glass or faceted glass) around the neck and waist. Among the Fante, these beads are not merely decorative; they have a protective function and indicate the social rank of the individual or the spirit represented.
These statuettes, though sometimes mistaken for toys by early European observers, have deep ritual functions:
Fertility cult: Worn by women to aid conception or to 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 draw blessing on the matrilineal line.
Aesthetic note: The rigid verticality and the balance of proportions of this piece testify to a high technical mastery, typical of the Akan beauty canon where harmony of forms reflects moral harmony.
Details
Number of objects
1
Country of Origin
Ghana
Period
Late 20th century
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Fanti Ancestor Statue
Height
65 cm
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