BoW-43 / Akua'ba - Akan (Abron), Ghana

Height: 10.5 in / 26.7 cm

ex private collection, US

Wood, pigment

Color is something very uncommon among akua’mma, and this is one of the very few that I have ever seen with any color. In Akua’ba: Akan Wednesday Child, Ron van Doorn illustrates and discusses several Abron-Brong figures that diverge from canonical Asante forms, including examples with painted surfaces and strong regional character. Red surfaces are not common, but they are acknowledged as part of this broader spectrum. Earlier literature, especially material-focused surveys of Akan art, note that Abron workshops were more flexible in surface treatment, occasionally incorporating paint for emphasis or renewal. In these cases, red is often interpreted as symbolic (vitality, fertility, power) or as part of ritual maintenance, rather than an original, once-only finish.

I particularly like the flat surface of the front of the head extending upward at an angle, and the red pigment brings the planes of the face into sharp focus, while the patterned crown adds texture and visual weight above, pushing your attention squarely to the head. One detail that isn’t obvious at first glance are the small metal ears, which look almost like tiny staples inserted into each side of the head.

As you can see in one of the photos, I had a little bit of fun with a digital drawing of the figure turning it into a cubist object.

$1000 plus shipping