Beaded Monkey Head - Tribal Art
This beaded monkey head has a striking gaunt appearance. It is decorated with cylindrical blue beads that give it a gorgeously deep colour. Its open mouth is filled with red and white glass beads that give the impression of a set of teeth. White lines of beads run across the nose and forehead of the figure breaking up the blue beads. Both the eyes and ears catch the attention through the use of colourful red beads. The bottom of the piece shows the underlying cloth in great condition.
Dimensions approx. 22 x 22 x 15 cm
Beaded art from the Cameroon Grasslands collected between 1985 and 2005. Rulers throughout the many Kingdoms in the Cameroon Grassland region (Bamileke –Bamum -Tikar) employed a range of Regalia to assert their political, economic and religious power. Presented publicly in lavish displays of wealth and power, many court objects were distinguished by their elaborate bead embroidery. Imported from Venice, Bohemia or Amsterdam, glass beads were considered a luxury material whose use and distribution were controlled by the King. The decoration of objects with vast quantities of brilliantly colored beads transformed utilitarian objects into symbols of royal status and prestige.
All lots are in the state the collector acquire them. No restorations or cleaning has been performed.
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