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Pectoral Disk (Akrafokonmu or Awisiado)

A work made of gold and red ochre.

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  • A work made of gold and red ochre.

Date:

Early to mid-20th century

Artist:

Asante
Ghana
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Gold ornaments indicate status and wealth among the Asante and other Akan-speaking peoples in coastal and central Ghana. They are worn ostentatiously at public festivals by titleholders, chiefs, and kings. The production of such ornaments declined in 1896, when British colonialists exiled the Asante king Prempeh I, but revived when he returned to Ghana in 1924. The size and artistry of this pectoral disk suggest that it was made after Prempeh I’s restoration to the throne.

Status

On View, Gallery 137

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Asante

Title

Pectoral Disk (Akrafokonmu or Awisiado)

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.

1925–1929

Medium

Gold and red ochre

Dimensions

19.7 × 19.7 × 2.5 cm (7 3/4 × 7 3/4 × 1 in.)

Credit Line

Irving Dobkin and David Soltker estates; Jane Brill Memorial Fund; Mr. and Mrs. David B. Ross Endowment

Reference Number

1999.287

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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