This sculpture, carved from wood and painted black, belongs to the Agni ethnic group, which is part of the Akan group, which also includes the Ashanti, Abron, Baulé, and Fanti, among others.
Maternity in a seated position, with the child on her knees, the mother holds his head with one hand and presses a breast with the other. Her pose is hieratic, without interacting with her son. The essential figure is the mother, the center of the composition, enhanced by her rounded and robust forms, especially in the legs, the protrusion of her breasts evokes fertility. The child is disproportionately smaller and his features are elementary, barely serving to indicate his presence. The hairstyle in the form of sheaths and the ringed neck stand out, which are part of the aesthetics of the Agni statuary, being a criterion of beauty for this ethnic group.

The seat with its curved shapes stands out, and it shares characteristics with the neighboring Ashanti people, true artists of everyday life.
These images are rare, as most were destroyed after the visit of the Liberian preacher William Harris, around 1914.
Motherhood is one of the oldest and most representative figures in Africa.

Condition: Very good, with loss of black pigment in various areas of the sculpture. Wood in excellent condition. Very interesting patina.

AKAN AGNI MATERNITY
Ivory Coast, 20th century

Very good state of preservation, with losses of black pigment in several areas; the wood is in excellent condition and has an interesting patina.

Belonging to the Agni ethnic group of the Akan group, this sculpture is a rare testament due to the destruction of many similar pieces after the arrival of the preacher William Harris in 1914. Motherhood is one of the oldest and most emblematic figures in Africa, reflecting criteria of beauty and cultural values of fertility in the Ivory Coast region.