Fanti Ancestor Statue - Ghana
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 240 - € 270
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Description from the seller
Origin. Ghana
Name of the tribe. Fante/fanti
Material. Wood
Dimension. 65 cm
Mode of shipment. 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 dense wood. Unlike the Akua'ba dolls of the Ashanti (their neighbors) which often have a highly schematic cylindrical body, the Fante figurines tend toward a more stylized realism in the body.
Head: It features an oval, elongated face. The eyes are almond-shaped, almost closed, topped with fine eyebrows. Scarifications on the temples and the forehead are noticeable, marks of identity and beauty.
The headdress: The most distinctive element is the high, narrow headdress, rising vertically, often interpreted as a stylization of traditional complex coiffures or a symbol of status.
The sculpture highlights traits related to fertility and maturity:
The bust: 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 creases (rings) around the neck are signs of beauty, health, and prosperity.
The arms: They are sculpted along the body with the hands usually resting on the hips or at the lower abdomen, framing the navel which is often prominent.
The piece is adorned with bead adornments (glass or paste beads) around the neck and waist. Among the Fante, these beads are not only decorative; they have a protective function and indicate the social rank of the individual or spirit represented.
These statuettes, though sometimes confused with toys by early European observers, have deep ritual functions:
Fertility cult: Worn by women to favor conception or ensure the beauty of the unborn child.
Objects of memory: They can serve as receptacles for the spirits of ancestors or be placed on family altars to attract blessings to the matrilineal line.
Aesthetic note: The rigid verticality and balanced proportions of this piece testify to high technical mastery, typical of the Akan beauty canon where harmony of forms reflects moral harmony.
Origin. Ghana
Name of the tribe. Fante/fanti
Material. Wood
Dimension. 65 cm
Mode of shipment. 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 dense wood. Unlike the Akua'ba dolls of the Ashanti (their neighbors) which often have a highly schematic cylindrical body, the Fante figurines tend toward a more stylized realism in the body.
Head: It features an oval, elongated face. The eyes are almond-shaped, almost closed, topped with fine eyebrows. Scarifications on the temples and the forehead are noticeable, marks of identity and beauty.
The headdress: The most distinctive element is the high, narrow headdress, rising vertically, often interpreted as a stylization of traditional complex coiffures or a symbol of status.
The sculpture highlights traits related to fertility and maturity:
The bust: 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 creases (rings) around the neck are signs of beauty, health, and prosperity.
The arms: They are sculpted along the body with the hands usually resting on the hips or at the lower abdomen, framing the navel which is often prominent.
The piece is adorned with bead adornments (glass or paste beads) around the neck and waist. Among the Fante, these beads are not only decorative; they have a protective function and indicate the social rank of the individual or spirit represented.
These statuettes, though sometimes confused with toys by early European observers, have deep ritual functions:
Fertility cult: Worn by women to favor conception or ensure the beauty of the unborn child.
Objects of memory: They can serve as receptacles for the spirits of ancestors or be placed on family altars to attract blessings to the matrilineal line.
Aesthetic note: The rigid verticality and balanced proportions of this piece testify to 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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