This female figure from the Kumasi North region of Ghana belongs to the cultural context of the Asante (Ashanti) people and is part of the tradition of so-called Akua'ba fertility dolls. These objects are closely linked to notions of beauty, fertility, and social identity and were traditionally worn or cared for by women to encourage the desire for offspring.

The figure stands upright and faces the woman frontally, her outstretched arms creating an open, almost welcoming posture. The face, framed by a ring of hair, is stylized and harmonious: the eyebrows flow seamlessly into the bridge of the nose, while the mouth is formed into a smile. This reduction and smoothing of the facial features reflects idealized notions of beauty within the Asante culture.

The body is highly abstracted, focusing on a few, yet significant, features. The prominently displayed, pointed breasts allude to fertility and motherhood, while the arms and legs are schematically foreshortened, and hands are absent. The short legs end in flat feet that rest on an anvil-shaped base, lending the figure stability.

The glossy patina and minor signs of wear attest to its use in a ritual or everyday context. In its formal reduction and symbolic clarity, the figure embodies an aesthetic ideal that combines physical beauty with social and reproductive significance.

Literature (selection)
Cole, Herbert M.: Icons: Ideals and Power in the Art of Africa. Washington, 1989.
Ross, Doran H.: Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity. Los Angeles, 1998.
Garrard, Timothy F.: Akan Weights and the Gold Trade. London, 1980.
McLeod, Malcolm: The Asante. London, 1981.

CAB 46989

sold

Height: 32 cm
Weight: 340 g