Pendant

Object Details

Asante artist

Label Text

Circular pendants hammered from the thinnest of gold or cast by the lost-wax process are traditionally worn around the neck of court officials who maintain the spiritual well being of Akan rulers and their land. These emblems of office are known as soul washer's badges and each bears designs that speak to the royal context in which they are worn. For instance, the fern depicted at the center of the pendant with its cord still intact refers to the Asante proverb, "the king does not fear insults."

Description

Embossed gold circular disk ornamented with a small half-circle at the top and bottom. A small metal loop is attached to either side of one half-circle and from one side of the other half-circle (second loop missing). Five concentric circles of raised decorative motifs radiate out from the conical center. To suspend the cord around the neck, multiple strands of vegetal fiber cord have been twisted together and knotted, leaving a single strand at each side to attach to the flattened gold loops on either side at the back of the pendant. Examination of the disk's thin surface reveals several cracks, local repairs and dark discolorations, suggesting wear and use.

Provenance

Opanin Kwame Bonsu (goldsmith, now deceased), Kumasi, Ghana, purchased from a prominent citizen of Kumawu, Ashanti Region, Ghana, -- to c. 1988

Ali Barry, Dichemso-Kumasi, Ghana, c. 1988 to 1989

Albert Nuamah, Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, acquired in Ghana, 1989 to 2008

Exhibition History

Good As Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., October 24, 2018-February 2, 2020; North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, September 16, 2020-January 3, 2021

African Cosmos: Stellar Arts, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., June 20-December 9, 2012; Newark Museum, February 26-August 11, 2013; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, August 23-November 30, 2014; Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University, Atlanta, January 31-June 21, 2015

African Mosaic: Celebrating a Decade of Collecting, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2010-November 13, 2013 (deinstalled March 22, 2012)

Inauguration 2009, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 17-March 2, 2009

Published References

Maples, Amanda, Ashby Johnson, Marian, and Dumouchelle, Kevin D., 2018, Good As Gold, Washington, D.C.: NMAfA, Smithsonian, p. 19, illustrated p. 20

Content Statement

As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.

Image Requests

High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/

Credit Line

Museum purchase

Late 19th-early 20th century

Object number

2008-3-1

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Jewelry

Medium

Repoussé gold, plant fiber, metal

Dimensions

H x W x D: 3 x 18 x 15 cm (1 3/16 x 7 1/16 x 5 7/8 in.)

Geography

Ghana

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Object Name

akrafokonmu

National Museum of African Art

Topic

Leadership

Status

Adornment

male

Record ID

nmafa_2008-3-1

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys726cefc2e-c576-48ec-b1de-f74901e4e5af