Spoon
20th century, 1950–2000
Object PlaceLiberia or Cote d'Ivoire
Medium/TechniqueWood
DimensionsOverall: 35.3 x 7 x 4 cm (13 7/8 x 2 3/4 x 1 9/16 in.)
Credit LineGift of Geneviève McMillan in memory of Reba Stewart
Accession number2009.2707
On View
Not on viewClassificationsDecorative arts
Collections
This spoon, which ends in a graceful animal head, once belonged to a Dan woman who contributed food to feasts organized by the villagers. This object is an excellent example of changing tastes of collectors in mid 20th century, as objects once considered craft or artifact before World War II gained appreciation for their aesthetic qualities. African merchants were well aware of collectors' changing tastes and brought these utilitarian objects to Europe and the United States, while artists stepped up production.
ProvenanceLate 1960s, sold by an unidentified African merchant, Cambridge, MA, to Geneviève McMillan (b. 1922 - d. 2008), Cambridge, MA; 2008, to the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation, Cambridge; 2009, gift of the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation to the MFA. (Accession Date: June 17, 2009)