African Arts Gallery

Agni sculpture in African art
Work of a sculptor of the Agni ethnic group, a subgroup of the rich and famous Akan people present in Côte d'Ivoire and southern Ghana, this polychrome African statue, used by the fetishist, has body and facial scarifications. The eyebrow arches meet on the ridge of the nose. Supported by a ringed neck representing her necklaces, the imposing head is topped with braided shells. This statue provided communication with the spirits of ancestors and geniuses established in the supernatural world and belonged to the female Comians members of secret societies, endowed with occult gifts. Restoration on the base. The Portuguese came into contact with the Akan at the end of the 15th century and quickly settled in the coastal region to develop the trade in gold and slaves. The artistic expression of the Agni, living in the east of Côte d'Ivoire, is influenced by the lagoon populations composed mainly of the Attyé, Akyé, and Ebrié, and that of the Baoulé.