DAN - Anthropomorphic Wunkirmian feast ladle/spoon, Ivory Coast
14" tall
wood, pigment
$600 - INQUIRE
I've seen and handled quite a few of these and had a few Dan spoons of my own, but this one has definitely been one of my favorites.
In their traditional context, spoons like this one are carried by a woman who has been given the distinction of the most hospitable woman of the
village. She parades through town with the spoon as a symbol of her status. She carries with her a wunkirmian and displays a bowl filled with
small coins or rice. She distributes grains and coins to the children of the community while dancing and singing. The deep belly of the spoon
from which this bounty is dispensed becomes the symbolic body or womb of the female figure. The event creates a profound visual analogy that
honors the hostess, and women in general, as a source of food and life. (Source - Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Despite its appearance, I believe this object was made specifically for the collecting market.
|
|
|
