Goldweight in the shape of a bird / Artist Unknown, African, Akan-Speaking Peoples, Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire
About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1997/1.450
- Title
- Goldweight in the shape of a bird
- Artist Nationality
- Ghanaian
- Medium and Support
- brass
- Object Creation Date
- 1900-1985
- Object Creation Place
- Africa (continent)
- Akan (historical region)
- Creation Place 1
- Africa (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Akan (historical region)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis
- Dimensions
- 2.1 cm x 0.9 cm x 3.6 cm (13/16 in. x 3/8 in. x 1 7/16 in.)
- Century
- 20th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Metalwork
- Primary Object Type
- goldweight
- Physical Description
- Goldweight in the shape of a bird, possibly a fowl.
- Subject Matter
- The Akan-speaking peoples of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire have long used goldweights to weigh amounts of gold dust needed in mercantile transactions. Birds are a common motif on these goldweights. Moreover, goldweights in the shape of birds are among the forms most unequivocally related to proverbs; a number of figurative scenes involving birds refers quite directly to specific proverbs. In the case of a single bird, such as this one, the association with a particular proverb is less clear, and indeed there are several options for interpretation here. One example of a proverb that might be applicable states, "When the feathers of a fowl grow, they still remain attached to its body."
- Secondary Keywords
- africa (continent)
- animals and creatures
- geographic and political locations
- goldweights
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Record
- 1997/1.450
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1997-sl-1.450/1997_1_450.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Goldweight in the shape of a bird; Artist Unknown, African, Akan-Speaking Peoples, Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1997-sl-1.450/1997_1_450.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 19, 2024.
