Fertility Fetish - Ashanti / Ashante - Ghana
03
days
03
hours
32
minutes
21
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Dimitri André
Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
No bids placed
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Description from the seller
Ghana
Ashanti
Wooden statue with a metal base
Height: 360mm
Width: 170mm
Depth: 60mm
This figurine is an emblematic fertility doll of the Ashanti (or Asante) people of Ghana, called Akua'ba (plural Akua'mma).
1. Origin and Founding Legend
The name Akua'ba literally means “the child of Akua.”
According to Ashanti oral tradition, a woman named Akua could not become pregnant. A priest (okomfo) advised her to have a small wooden figurine carved representing an ideal child, to wear it on her back (like a real baby), to care for it and adorn it with jewelry. Although mocked by the villagers, Akua eventually gave birth to a healthy girl. In the face of this success, the ritual was adopted by all Ashanti women seeking to conceive.
2. Aesthetic and Symbolic Canon
Each element of the object obeys a strict aesthetic ideal, intended to influence the beauty of the future child:
The very flattened discoidal head: This is the most distinctive mark. Among the Ashanti, a large, high, rounded forehead is regarded as the ultimate symbol of beauty, intelligence, and nobility.
The beaded neck: The carved folds on the neck evoke both the fat folds of a healthy baby and the pearl necklaces, symbols of beauty and prosperity.
The abstract, cruciform body: The body is pared down, cylindrical, with arms reduced to a horizontal axis and slight breasts/navel marking femininity. The vast majority of Akua'mma are female, because Ashanti society is matrilineal (the transmission of lineage and rank passes through women).
The back carving: The reverse side of the disk bears geometric motifs carved (often lines and diamonds), referencing scarification and traditional hair-combing patterns.
3. Ritualized Use
During pregnancy: The woman carries the statue wrapped in her cloth on her back, offers it food or drinks during meals, and takes care of it. The aim is to imbue the mother’s mind with images of beauty so that the unborn child will be beautiful, healthy, and free from infirmity.
After birth: Once the child is born, the figurine is kept on the family altar as a sign of gratitude or passed to the next generation (daughter or sister). If a child were to die, the statuette could also serve as a memorial.
Packages are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number. `
Delivery 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak English
Mask African art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue African art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateGhana
Ashanti
Wooden statue with a metal base
Height: 360mm
Width: 170mm
Depth: 60mm
This figurine is an emblematic fertility doll of the Ashanti (or Asante) people of Ghana, called Akua'ba (plural Akua'mma).
1. Origin and Founding Legend
The name Akua'ba literally means “the child of Akua.”
According to Ashanti oral tradition, a woman named Akua could not become pregnant. A priest (okomfo) advised her to have a small wooden figurine carved representing an ideal child, to wear it on her back (like a real baby), to care for it and adorn it with jewelry. Although mocked by the villagers, Akua eventually gave birth to a healthy girl. In the face of this success, the ritual was adopted by all Ashanti women seeking to conceive.
2. Aesthetic and Symbolic Canon
Each element of the object obeys a strict aesthetic ideal, intended to influence the beauty of the future child:
The very flattened discoidal head: This is the most distinctive mark. Among the Ashanti, a large, high, rounded forehead is regarded as the ultimate symbol of beauty, intelligence, and nobility.
The beaded neck: The carved folds on the neck evoke both the fat folds of a healthy baby and the pearl necklaces, symbols of beauty and prosperity.
The abstract, cruciform body: The body is pared down, cylindrical, with arms reduced to a horizontal axis and slight breasts/navel marking femininity. The vast majority of Akua'mma are female, because Ashanti society is matrilineal (the transmission of lineage and rank passes through women).
The back carving: The reverse side of the disk bears geometric motifs carved (often lines and diamonds), referencing scarification and traditional hair-combing patterns.
3. Ritualized Use
During pregnancy: The woman carries the statue wrapped in her cloth on her back, offers it food or drinks during meals, and takes care of it. The aim is to imbue the mother’s mind with images of beauty so that the unborn child will be beautiful, healthy, and free from infirmity.
After birth: Once the child is born, the figurine is kept on the family altar as a sign of gratitude or passed to the next generation (daughter or sister). If a child were to die, the statuette could also serve as a memorial.
Packages are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number. `
Delivery 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak English
Mask African art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue African art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Fertility Fetish
Ethnic group/ culture
Ashanti / Ashante
Country of Origin
Ghana
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
Yes
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
