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Carved female figure with articulated legs and arms, typical akua ba enlarged head and cloth diaper.
fertility figure
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Randy Batista

fertility figure

Artist Osei Bonsu (Ghanaian, b. 1900 - d. 1977)
Date1944
Place of originAshanti, Ghana, Africa
Mediumcarved wood, cloth and metal
Dimensions8 x 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 in. (20.3 x 5.7 x 3.8 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineGift of Lewis Berner and family
Object number2002.31.2
Collections
Visual DescriptionCarved female figure with articulated legs and arms, typical akua ba enlarged head and cloth diaper.
Carved seated female figure holding child.
maternity figure
Osei Bonsu
1944
Standing figure with human and animal features.
Forest Spirit (sasabonsam)
Osei Bonsu
1944
Standing male figure with two drums.
Drummer
Osei Bonsu
1944
Standing female figure.
doll
Osei Bonsu
c. 1945
Round bowl-shaped basket containing sculptures of varied dimensions and materials, including manmade and natural objects/substances; pelts attached to rim.
Divination basket (tuphele or tupele)
Luvale Artist
1973
Standing figure with wood core, covered with leather. Fringe on lower part of leather; Coin mounted on center of hips, and on chest; metal rings on waist; strands of various glass imported beads hanging from each ear, and glass bead eyes Figure’s stance is with arms and hands outstretched parallel to plane of body. Tubular neck, small round head, tubular torso with stylized arms and legs; flared rounded hips.
Female Figure
Dowayo Artist
20th century
Helmet-style mask depicting a woman’s head; black exterior, adorned with antelope horn and cloth covered bundles attached to top, silver/ aluminum diadem; blackened raffia collar.
Zogbe
Sierra Leonean Artist
c. 1940
Small cup with flat base, raised on a ring at edge, wall angles at base, then straight upwards with an outward slope to rim, interior is rounded at bottom; brown ware with traces of red slip, animal figure, probably monkey, on one side, head in full relief, lower legs and arms in bas-relief, arms upraised, hands at rim, face worn down, open circular mouth.
Cup with Monkey in Relief
Chorotegan Artist
1-500
Stylized human figure with large, flat head, neck rings, outstretched arms, blackened surface, ending in a round base. The figure has small round earrings and two strings of light green beads around the neck.
Fertility Figure (akua'ba)
Asante Artist
undated
Standing female figure in the form of an axe head, feet form chisel end, separated by cut groove, hands on abdomen, arms indicated at side, breasts apparent, head tapers towards top, nose is large protruding blade, eyes and mouth are shallow grooves, top of head is pecked flat. Bottom of feet and top of head have peck marks as if used for striking.
Small female axe-head figure
Mezcala Artist
100 B.C. - 200
Standing female figure with arms pressed to belly, heavy cylindrical legs pressed together, round head with prominent forehead, cowrie like eyes, delicate mouth made of single piece of wood, encrustation on surface.
Female Ancestral Figure (batega)
Lobi Artist
undated
Standing anthropomorphic figure in the form of an axe head, feet form chisel end with grove carved between on front and back, arms indicated at side, hands across abdomen, figures shown by cut grooves, features shallow, wide flat nose, heavy brow, head tapers toward top
Large male axe-head figure
Mezcala Artist
300 - 100 B.C.

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