GEOMETRIC ASHANTI STOOL
GHANA, FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Estimate: £600 - £900
Auction: 13 March 2025 from 13:00 GMT
Description
carved wood, standing on a flat rectangular base, the support formed of four interlocking pillars evoking a knot or abstract standing figure holding the curved seat above
Dimensions
45 x 64 x 32cm
Provenance
Private collection, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the below
Frantz Dufour, Galerie Kanem, Paris
Footnote
The present example features a decorative support far less common than the straight-pillared designs typically favoured by Ashanti carvers in the 19th centuries. Known as a nyansapo, or "wisdom knot," the motif is intricate and technically demanding, exemplifying the growing trend toward complex designs in the 20th century, as carvers increasingly sought to showcase their skill.