Baule Peoples
Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire)

While one might think of gold ornaments as a symbol of wealth in the material sense, Baule people ascribe a far more sacred value to this precious metal. For them, gold is “like a god” and is treated as an heirloom that evokes the presence of the ancestors. Baule families keep gold in ancestral treasuries called aja, which contain assorted prestige articles, including solid cast gold ornaments. This finely cast gold pendant in the form of a man’s face would have once belonged to such a treasury. The raised designs between the eyes and in front of the ears are cosmetic marks of Baule identity. It is a work of remarkable precision and delicacy and the entire piece conveys a love for gold that transcends its materiality.

Gold, cast and tooled, early 20th century
Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey, 1977.72