Art Institute of Chicago
Head
Fang
- Date
- Mid–late 19th century
- Medium
- Wood and copper
- Culture
- Gabon
- Department
- Arts of Africa
- Institution
- Art Institute of Chicago
The neck of this head was once partially inserted into the lid of a cylindrical bark container holding selected skull and skeletal remains of an honored ancestor. Stored in the corner of a man’s sleeping room, the sculpture and box protected the ancestor’s bones and kept his power within reach of his descendants. The copper-alloy inserts in the eyes reflect light in the dark, and would have startled any intruder while adding to the head’s aura.
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Linked open data
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- Object type
- AAT300301253
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