Adangbe Wood Fetish Figure, Based

Blue paint on the cheeks, a coil at the neck, and an offering held to the chest.

This fetish figure is Adangbe, from Ghana, West Africa, dates to the 20th century, and is carved wood and pigment, presented on a base. Among the Adangbe and neighboring peoples of southeastern Ghana, carved figures are generally understood to serve as vessels for spiritual forces, and they often carry layers of material added over time. The figure stands with a smooth oval face and a coil wrapped around the neck. Red, blue and white pigments streak the torso. One arm cradles a small bound bundle. The legs merge into a columnar base. It is 5.25 inches wide, 4 deep and 12.75 high.

Built up layer by layer, and none of them in a hurry.