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Female Figure (Akua'ba)

A work made of wood, glass beads, shell, copper alloy, and thread.

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  • A work made of wood, glass beads, shell, copper alloy, and thread.

Date:

Mid–19th or early 20th century

Artist:

Fante
Ghana
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Among the Fante and related peoples the desire for children is expressed through rituals that may include the fabrication of a stylized figure called akua’ba. Because women are highly valued in Fante society for their procreative powers, female figures are favored over male ones. Adorned with beaded necklaces, waistbands, and anklets, and sporting a horned hairstyle that was fashionable in the 19th and early 20th centuries, this example’s features reflect local ideals of physical beauty.

Status

On View, Gallery 137

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Fante

Title

Female Figure (Akua'ba)

Place

Ghana (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1850–1925

Medium

Wood, glass beads, shell, copper alloy, and thread

Dimensions

36.8 × 6.9 × 6.9 cm (14 1/2 × 2 3/4 × 2 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

O. Renard Goltra Fund

Reference Number

1996.40

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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