Description:

Western Africa, Ivory Coast/Mali/Burkina Faso, ca. mid 20th century CE. A charming wooden door carved with a relief image of a crocodile feasting upon a fish; incised lines around the bodies of both give the piece a dynamic sense of movement. The door would have closed off the entrance to a granary, and decorated examples are common throughout West Africa. The symbols carved on the door are protective, some meant to represent the ancestors in highly abstract form. The deeply cut striated patterns are designed to catch sunlight and create interesting patterns of shadow. Decorated doors proclaim the importance and wealth of their owners. Size: 22" W x 40.25" H (55.9 cm x 102.2 cm)

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex San Diego, California, USA collection

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#131998

  • Condition: Small losses on edges and one perforation near the middle of the body as shown. Weathering on surface commensurate with age.

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April 5, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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