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Mooscollection

@mooscollection

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An archival gallery dedicated to the arts of West Africa with an emphasis on the Akan. Enquire for collection exhibition loans. Based in NYC

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Remembrance. Akan memorial portraits. #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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2 days ago

Akan fly whisk, "nandwa blawa", Côte d'Ivoire/ Ghana,
wood, covered with gold foil, horse tail hair, textile. H 46 cm. (112 cm with tail). "One of the most familiar and influential images in all of Akan art is the bird with its head turned toward its back--the so-called sankofa bird. Its message is most frequently translated as "Pick it up, if it falls behind."The basic idea is that if you have forgotten something, you can return to retrieve it, or that mistakes can be corrected. In part the motif has to do with maintaining and respecting ancestral tradition." (D.Ross) ex Galerie Walu #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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8 days ago

A rare Asante anthropomorphic terracotta oil lamp ‘Abusua Kuruwa’ used in ancestor shrines. 19th c. Ghana H 9.5 inches. Many of the terracotta lamps do not survive like the cast bronze equivalents. The lamp is used by floating a wick in palm oil poured into the bowl at the top of the lamp. It was recorded that shea butter was also used in the lamps. This example came from the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts. It was previously a gift of Governor and Mrs. G. Mennen Williams. Gerhard Mennen “Soapy” Williams (February 23, 1911 – February 2, 1988) was the 41st Governor of Michigan, elected in 1948 and serving six two-year terms in office. He later served as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under President John F. Kennedy and Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.
Exhibited: Meadow Brook Art Gallery, Rochester, Michigan, February 1-March 3, 1968
Detroit Historical Museum, January 16-June 16, 1978
Wayne State University, July 1980-January 1981 #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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10 days ago

Baule pith helmet with an elephant finial. Côte d’Ivoire.
Early to mid-20th century. Carved wood, gold foil. The Baule notables appropriated images from European colonial origin associated with prestige, power, and authority. Among them are crowns and pith helmets. These skeuomorph items were worn and displayed in special functions to project rank, authority and importance. Ex estate of René David (1928-2015) Zurich. #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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11 days ago

An exceptional Akan sculptural sword handle from coastal Ghana, Shama region. (Carved wood covered with heavy gold foil and gold staples). The image is of a lion standing on top of a fallen man. The proverb usually associated with this image is “When the lion captures the hunter, the gun is useless.” In most states the chief identifies with the lion, and the image is a symbol of victory with the implication that it is over superior forces. An alternate proverb for this image argues that “It is better not to have fired at all, than to have fired and missed the lion” (cf. Ross 1982a, fig. 3).” Here the message is more about the judicious use of power and exercising it with some care.“(D. Ross) #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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13 days ago

A large Asante hinged bracelet, cast copper alloy with a heavier gold gilding on the outside surface. Exterior diameter 4 1/2” (11.4 cm),interior diameter 2 5/8” (6.8 cm), width at the “protrusions” 1 1/2” (3.8 cm), overall width 1” (2.5 cm), Weight 10.5 oz. (298 g). Hinged chief bracelets are almost always worn on the left wrist. This bracelet’s design is similar to designs more often seen in Akan chief’s rings (mpetea) in the form of twisted rope lobes and knots.
Doran Ross describes this motif in The Royal Arts of the Akan” in the Liaunig: “In addition to nyansa po, the Akan have other ideas about knots. A very common finger ring design is called a “twisted knot” (pokoro) by Garrard, who notes that some of his informants said it represents a gold nugget (1989:189, 230). While the ring design looks more like a skeuomorph of twisted fiber bands than a knot or a nugget, one imagines that the Akan might view any twisted, intertwined or entangled form as a knot.
Another knot in the adinkra corpus is called mpata po, literally “pacification knot.” According to Willis, it “represents a knot or a bond that is formed after a dispute or a disagreement between two parties” and he sees it as a symbol of reconciliation (1998:135)”#mooscollection by @mooscollection

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18 days ago

Headdress of an Asante Herald/ Royal Crier (Nsɛneɛfoɔ), who as a scholar, among other things, has the task of carrying the messages of the king (Asantehene). Asantehene’s procession may well precede the procession with a dozen heralds at the head of the train wearing a typical headdress of colobus hide adorned with a large rectangular plate of drifted gold (repoussé) and silver chain. Published: Blum, Rudolf (2007). EX collection Rudolf and Leonore Blum. Volume 2 B. Zumikon: No. 38. #asante #akan #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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21 days ago

Asante Atuotumfoɔ (Gun bearers/ Bodyguards) #mooscollection #asante #akan by @mooscollection

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24 days ago

Asante Pectoral “Soul Washer’s disc” (Akrafokonmu), Ghana, Gold alloy. 12cm. Pectorals were worn as a sign of rank and allegiance of the royal families at the festivities. They are worn by distinguished dignitaries and are also called soul disks. The symbol of the sun also allegorically stands for the radiant soul of Asantehene (Regent of the Asante) and is supposed to protect the bearers. The bearer also protects and holds a part of the soul of the chief. Typically they are worn around the neck with twine made of pineapple fibers.
Thermoluminescence age determination: approx. 180 years ex René David, Zurich #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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a month ago

Asante State Sword (akrafena) with hide leather sheath and sword ornament (abɔsodeɛ). Wood, gold leaf, hide leather, steel. The sword ornament represents the strength and power of the chief, “The invincible crocodile that swallows bullets.” #asante #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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Prestige object (tortoise). Akan, Côte d'lvoire. Wood, covered with gold foil. L 4.5" Akan proverbs associated with tortoises: "The tortoise says haste is a good thing and deliberation is also a good thing.", "When you go to the village of the tortoise and it eats earth, you eat some too.", "The highly conventionalized proverb associated with tortoises and snails is, "if it were only for the snail and the tortoise, the gun would not fire in the forest." -Both are valued foods but are collected by hand and not hunted with firearms. Because of this the snail and the tortoise are seen as peaceful. This tortoise may represent attributes with royal associations. From the estate of René David (1928-2015), Zurich. Exhibited: Musée International du Golfe de Guinée, Togo (2005-2011) #mooscollection by @mooscollection

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Akan chief’s ceremonial eyeglasses, Côte d’Ivoire (4.75” x 1.65” x 4.5”). An XRF analysis revealed an alloy of mainly silver and gold (4K) with a small copper percentage. Displayed here with a Baule chief’s ceremonial pith helmet, carved of wood and covered with gold foil. Akan regalia eyewear served a very specific purpose. Besides displaying the high status and wealth of the chief (European items were often seen as status symbols and recreated in gold), the mesh prevented people from directly looking into the eyes of the chief which emphasized his high status and authority. This can also be seen when subjects come to greet Akan chiefs. One would not look directly into the eyes of the chief and would support one arm with the other arm when shaking the hand of the chief. This gesture shows that the chief is so powerful, that you have to support your arm just to shake his hand. #mooscollection #akan #baule

Eye Glasses: Provenance: Jacaranda Gallery, New York, Ex Dr. Roy Sieber (1923-2001) Collection. Roy Sieber was considered the founder of the discipline of African art history in the United States.

Pith Helmet: Provenance:
- Galerie Walu, Zurich.
- René and Denise David, Kilchberg.
- Denise Zubler (1928-2011), Zurich (2000).
- Zubler community of heirs (2011).
Published:
- Quarcoopome, Nii O. (2010). Through African Eyes. Detroit: Detroit Institute of Arts. Page 74 and 258, catalog no. 73.
- Lüthi, Werner / David, Jean (2009). Gold in the art of West Africa. Burgdorf: Helvetic Gold Museum. Page 33.
Exhibited:
- Helvetic Gold Museum Burgdorf. “Gold in West African Art” (2009).
- Detroit Institute of Arts. “Through African Eyes” (2010). by @mooscollection

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