Monkey Figure

ClassificationsSculpture

Culturepossibly Bamileke

Date20th Century

Made AtCameroon, Africa

MediumWood, pigment and rope

Dimensions30 × 11 1/2 × 9 in. (76.2 × 29.2 × 22.9 cm)

Credit LineGift of the Goldenberg Estate and the Sweeney Family

Object number2018.10.3

DescriptionA carved wooden figure from the 20th Century, likely originating from the grasslands region of Cameroon. This region is home to many cultures which are commonly grouped as Bamileke. Many figures of this region are ceremonial in nature and honor ancestors or a king (fon). This figure’s features, including its oval eyes, nostrils, lip line, fingers, and genitalia, are formed by relief carving. He wears two differently braided ropes—one around the neck and the other around the waist. Despite having simian features such as a flattened snout and boxed ears, most depictions of monkeys among the Bamileke have very pronounced snouts with barred teeth. Both this and the adornment around the waist indicate that it is a man.

On View

Not on view

Collections