carving, sculpture, wood
portrait
carving
figuration
sculpture
wood
decorative-art
Dimensions 8 9/16 x 2 3/16 x 3/4 in. (21.75 x 5.56 x 1.91 cm)
This elegant comb was carved by an Akan artist from Ghana, probably in the 19th or 20th century. The Akan are known for their sophisticated craftsmanship and their symbolic language that is communicated through objects. Considered a personal object, combs like this were often included in royal treasuries. The geometric carving on top of the comb, just above the face, is an Akan symbol or Adinkra that represents beauty, hygiene, and good grooming. It is a potent symbol of Akan culture and its emphasis on cleanliness, both physically and spiritually. The face on this comb is not a representation of a specific person, but an idealized image. To understand objects like this comb, we need to turn to historical records, anthropological studies, and linguistic analysis to more fully grasp their place in Akan society. Such research illuminates the social conditions that shape artistic production and helps us to appreciate the meaning and function of art within its original cultural context.
Comments
Hairstyles have long reflected personal aesthetics in African and African-American cultures. And when adorned with extensions, beads, pins, or combs, they can indicate a person’s status, ethnic origin, gender, profession, or even what phase of life they’re in. These three combs, from West and Central Africa, show how African artists turn even everyday objects into accomplished carvings.
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