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One of a Pair of Shrine Figures

A work made of terracotta.

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  • A work made of terracotta.

Date:

Late 19th/early 20th century

Artist:

Ewe, Aja, or Fon
Ghana or Togo
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Open at the bottom and hollow within, this impressive figure [and its companion, 2005.238.1] is an essentially upside-down pot and was doubtlessly made by a potter. Figures such as this one have been described as protective and as representations of ancestors, and they may signify one of the many Vodun that come into being when an important person dies. Figures with the same tufted coiffure, but with squatter bodies, have been collected in southern Ghana and are said to have been brought there in the 1930s. Others come from the border between Togo and Republic of Benin. A male and female pair collected in Togo displays similar elongated bodies, flat, truncated arms and hands, and heavy-lidded expressions. [See also 2005.238.1].

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Ewe

Title

One of a Pair of Shrine Figures

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.

Made 1875–1925

Medium

Terracotta

Dimensions

59.7 × 27.3 cm (23 1/2 × 10 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Keith Achepohl

Reference Number

2005.238.2

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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