Mother and Child Figure
Asante Artist, Ghana

Details
Title
Mother and Child Figure
Artist/Maker
Asante Artist, Ghana
Date
twentieth century
Medium
Wood, pigment, beads, and metal
Dimensions
14 x 5 x 6 1/2 inches
Credit
Fred and Rita Richman Collection
Accession #
1984.302
On View
Currently not on view
In Asante communities, mother and child sculptures are placed on the family shrines of both royalty and commoners. They serve a protective function while promoting the continuity of the family’s lineage, as Asante inheritance descends through the maternal line. In this statue, the mother feeds her child from her breast while seated on a stool. Her elaborate coiffure and jewelry suggest a royal status, indicating that she may be either a priestess or a queen mother—the most senior female of a lineage—seated in state for a formal occasion. Her carved sandals further substantiate her elite social position.
More from this Artist
Browse Related Artwork

Kris Graves

Burk Uzzle

Evelyn Massengill

Rahim Fortune

Rahim Fortune

Burk Uzzle

Rahim Fortune

Paul Mpagi Sepuya

Rahim Fortune

Carolyn Drake

Barbara Peacock

Fahamu Pecou