Artisan Objects
This is an artisanal piece which caught my eye because of the endearing, realistic, and natural qualities in this everyday scene. The mother here is lovingly styling the young daughter’s hair. Such figurative illustrations often refer to proverbs. Carved wood (ebony). 6” x 3 5/8” x 3 1/2”. The previous custodian stated it was a Baule carving but I place it as unknown African origin although there are a large pool of Akan figurative illustrations. Ex estate of Dr. Ralph Gomes (1937-2020). He was a professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Howard University for 49 years. A native of Guyana, he was an avid collector of art and artifacts exploring the Black experience.
Ebony carving of a Lion attacking a man. Most likely for the tourist trade. Pre 1960s. Ebony wood, bone.
These two figures use to belong to my grandmother and were given to me by my mother. They were the first pieces from Africa that I've owned and have been a part of my entire life. It seems fitting that I have them now and it's interesting that I received them before my love for African art was realized. It isn’t known where my grandmother got the pieces from but it is believed she collected these in the 1950s to mid 1960s. I believe that they were made by artisans from Kenya for the tourist trade due to similarities with other carvings from that area and time period. EX Carol Hamerly, EX Christina Gardenhire
