Staff
late 19th-early 20th century
Staffs often serve as emblems of authority and status. This Akye linguist's staff depicts a chief carried on the shoulders of a retainer. Here, hearing the weight of another person probably refers to a proverb appropriate to the protocol of the court of an Akan king. The image of a person who bears a load upon his head, and the image of the person carrying a royal stool, are linked to proverbs warning against insubordination and insolence in the presence of superiors. The formal gesture of the ruler, face frozen and hands indicating belly and heart, refers to the sources of noble accomplishment.
Wood and metal
36 15/16 x 3 3/8 x 3 9/16 in. (93.9 x 8.5 x 9 cm)
Gift of Katherine White and the Boeing Company
81.17.235
Provenance: [Merton D. Simpson Gallery, New York]; purchased from gallery by Katherine White (1929-1980), Seattle, Washington, 1961; bequeathed to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 1981
Photo: Paul Macapia