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Ring Depicting a Chameleon

A work made of copper alloy.

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  • A work made of copper alloy.

Date:

19th/mid–20th century

Artist:

Senufo
Côte d’Ivoire or Burkina Faso
Northern Africa and the Sahel

About this artwork

Small cast copper-alloy ornaments are made across West Africa within the arc of the great Niger River. Brass or bronze casting has powerful associations with the supernatural because, like ironworking, it is a highly specialized process that uses fire to transform a raw material into a form that is useful and meaningful to humans. For the Senufo, copper-alloy ornaments are pleasing to the eye and offer protection by representing and honoring nature spirits.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Senufo

Title

Ring Depicting a Chameleon

Place

Côte d'Ivoire (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.

1800–1950

Medium

Copper alloy

Dimensions

4.6 × 3.2 × 3 cm (1 13/16 × 1 1/4 × 1 3/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Muriel Kallis Newman

Reference Number

2007.601

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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