Lot 80
  • 80

Tuareg Cushion Support, Niger

Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 USD
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Description

  • wood
  • Height: 49 1/4 in (125 cm)
ehel.

Provenance

Drs. Nicole and John Dintenfass, New York, acquired in the 1980s

Exhibited

Royal Academy of Arts, London, Africa: The Art of a Continent, October 4, 1995 - January 21, 1996; additional venue:
Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, March 1 - May 1, 1996
Guggenheim Museum, New York, Africa: The Art of the Continent. 100 Works of Power and Beauty, June 7 - September 29, 1996

Literature

Tom Phillips (ed.), Africa: The Art of a Continent, New York, 1995, p. 531, cat. 6.57

Condition

Very good condition for an object of this type and age. One age crack in openwork (right side as seen in catalogue photograph). Minor losses to outer edges of openwork, including top element, as seen in catalogue photograph. One area of insect damage on reverse. Fine varied brown patina with residue. Remnants of grains nestled in some holes.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

In his discussion of the offered lot on the occasion of the exhibition Africa: The Art of a Continent, RenĂ© Bravmann (in Phillips 1995: 531, text to cat. 6.57) notes: "Among the Tuaregs of Niger elegantly sculpted cushion supports are important items in any well-appointed household. They were carved by the members of a guild known as Enaden, literally meaning 'the other', blacksmiths who have been instrumental in the creation of precisely those things that have forever distinguished the upper classes of this society (the imochar or warriors and the insilimen or religious teachers) from the many vassal populations of the Tuareg world. [... The] products of the Enaden are among the most potent of hegemonic symbols - for in sitting and reclining upon the pillows and ehel, Tuareg nobles literally sit and lean upon these artists, dramatically re-enacting the historical relationship between themselves and the members of this guild. [...] Ehel such as this example form part of the basic furnishing found in any upper-class Tuareg's tent, itself a hemisphere shaped of exquisitely woven and embroidered mats (asaber or shitek), dominated by geometric bands of subtle colour gradations and highlighted with carefully embroidered designs of dyed twine and leather. The Tuareg living-space appears almost to flaunt its beauty in the face of the desolate Sahel, to represent a private domain imbued with an aura of grace and refinement that defies its natural surroundings. Within these sparkling domes, ehel are used to pin the mat-woven walls against the exterior tent-poles."