ASHANTI, GHANA
WOOD,BEADS, HEIGHT 50CM

The Ashanti are the largest ethnic group in Ghana. They are a matrimonial society and the mothers clan is more important than the fathers family. The artistic style of the Ashanti is also  remarkably different to most other African styles. All art and craft is executed by men. 

These statues are different in style to most African carvings. In this case the Queen mother sits quite upright and rigid with very elongated and straight legs,  compared to the usual compressed and rounded African style. Her two assistant are also tall and slim, but more like the typical African sculptured figure. 

All 3 pieces were collected by Nji Mboumbou Arouna Idriss between 1950 and 1980.