A wooden stool with curved seat and mixed metal applique. Ghana, Asante. 1st half 20th century.
Provenance: Inventory and Collection from the Estate of Merton D. Simpson.
Catalog Notes: "Large size, careful workmanship and sheet silver ornaments all indicate that this was a leadership stool. It is a
standard "male" design with a series of bisected openwork arcs on the outer edges of the four solid legs and
intricate pierced work designs on its square, hollow center column. Like most African sculptures, this stool is
monoxylous, or carved from one piece of wood. It is oriented with its length parallel to the treetrunk from which it
was carved, placing the end or cross grain at each end of the stool and freeing it from the more common
circular form of seating resulting from a stool produced from an upended log with the cross section appearing
on the seat and base." Martha J. Ehrlich, PhD.