Memorial Head – Terracotta – Akan- Ghana

Great terracotta head from the Akan people of Ghana. Akan terracotta heads, also known as “memorial heads” or “nsodie”, are commemorative sculptures created by Akan women potters in present-day Ghana to honor deceased individuals, typically royals or people of high status. These sculptures, made from fired clay (terracotta), served as focal points for funerary rites and were placed in sacred groves near cemeteries. They are idealized representations that blend the deceased’s individual features with Akan ideals of beauty and status.

Provenance: Manfred Schäfer collection, ex- gallery owner from Ulm, Germany.