|
HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Nok, Katsina, Sokoto : Nok Terracotta Bust
|
 |
|
|
|
Nok Terracotta Bust - PF.6375
Origin: Nigeria
Circa: 500
BC
to 200
AD
Dimensions:
12.25" (31.1cm) high
x 6.5" (16.5cm) wide
Collection: African
Style: Nok
Medium: Terracotta
$6,000.00
Location: United States
|
|
|
| Photo Gallery |
|
|
| Description |
The artifacts of the ancient Nok people are
among the oldest sculptures found in Africa
outside of Egypt. Because their existence was
not even know until archaeological expeditions
in the 1940’s, almost nothing is known of their
customs or culture. However, through recent
finds, we can determine the expanse of their
civilization and the unity of their artistic style.
Typical of much later black African art, there is
an emphasis placed on the head. The pupils and
ear canals have all been depicted by a series of
carved holes, although the eye holes have been
filled in by earth over the years. Unlike many
Nok sculptures with their elaborately braided
coiffures, this figure features a relatively modest
hairstyle. The eyes are characteristically
almond-shaped, a hallmark of the Nok style.
Careful attention has been paid to the attire. The
most prominent attribute of this sculpture is the
thick collar of beaded necklaces that graces the
figure’s neck. Such jewelry is generally meant to
convey the represented individual’s social status
and personal wealth. The general form of the
piece is cylindrical, as if the Nok sculptural
tradition developed from inherent bounds of
wood and ivory carvings transferred to pottery
with little special experimentation. This
extraordinary sculpture is the resounding echo
of a great culture whose cry, although once
silenced, resounds with renewed vigor thanks to
works of art like this one.
- (PF.6375)
|
| |
|
