Memorial head · Côte d'Ivoire / Ghana, Anyi (Agni) - Sanwi (Krinjabo) · ID: 3051056
Marcel Lheureux, France
Marcel Lheureux was a French medical doctor who traveled in the Agni-Sanwi region in the 1920s, where he developed a great interest in the terracottas found there. He collected a large group of Krinjabo heads and also full figures. In 1932, he deposited a record of his conclusions regarding the terracottas at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris. His collection was probably the largest outside of Africa (Guy van Rijn 2008).
Description
ceramic / terracotta, on original base by Kichizô Inagaki (1876-1951), with signature
Memorial heads served as receptacle for the fleshless soul of divine ancestors. They were not positioned on the grave, but placed either in a sacred grove close to the cemetery or in a shrine or stool room where libations and sacrifices were occasionally offered and rituals were performed.
The object Memorial head with the object ID 3051056 was part of the auction Auction 103 on November 16, 2024, lot number 155 at that time and is currently available for EUR 2,500 in Open sale.
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