Pendant in the Form of a Human Face
| Culture | Baule |
|---|---|
| Title | Pendant in the Form of a Human Face |
| Date | Unknown |
| Medium | Gold |
| Dimensions | Object: 3 7/8 × 3 1/16 × 15/16 in. (9.8 × 7.8 × 2.4 cm) Overall: 3 7/8 x 3 1/16 x 15/16 in. (9.8 x 7.8 x 2.4 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 76.98.2 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
A gold pendant in the shape of a human face, with slits for eyes, a long nose, and six tooth-like spikes protruding from the bottom of the pendant in lieu of a mouth. The top of the head has a crown of thin spikes, which are connected by a thin gold band at the top.
Considered heirlooms to be passed from one generation to the next, gold pendants traditionally are owned by wealthy and powerful Baule individuals and families. Hung from the neck or attached to the hair, they were—and sometimes still are—worn by men and women at funerals and other celebrations. This pendant was cast using the lost-wax method, in which a model of the object to be cast is formed in wax, covered with clay, and heated so that the wax will melt and can be replaced with molten metal. Then, after the metal has cooled, the clay is broken away, revealing the cast object. Though Baule casters have created pendants in several forms, they are best known for those depicting human faces, such as this one.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Pendant in the Form of a Human Face | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=76.98.2