Object Details
- Label Text
- In much of Africa, the tool of choice for carving is the adze. The adze is used for carving masks and statuettes, as well as bowls, spoons, stools and other utilitarian objects. Its short chopping swing and its form recall the short-handled hoe, which was the traditional agricultural tool.
- Description
- Adze composed of a wood handle and an iron blade with a curved flared end. The handle is cylindrical with a flared base, with the ends in an ovoid head with the suggestion of a nasal ridge and circular ears.
- Provenance
- Philip Ravenhill and Judith Timyan, Washington, D.C., -- to 1991
- Exhibition History
- Art of the Personal Object, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., September 24, 1991-April 9, 2007
- 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 Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks.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/
- Data Source
- National Museum of African Art
- Maker
- Baule artist
- Date
- Mid-20th century
- Credit Line
- Gift of Philip L. Ravenhill and Judith Timyan
- Medium
- Iron, wood
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 22.9 x 11.4 x 3.8 cm (9 x 4 1/2 x 1 1/2 in.)
- Type
- Sculpture
