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| Spiral-shelled Turtles |
| Carved Hardwood |
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19th or early 20th century ~ West Africa
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These West African turtles sit on a piece of Malian mud cloth, a fabric made from a batik-like
process in which areas covered with mud protect the material from the dye. The turtles
themselves are carved from a dark hardwood, most probably ebony, and date from around the
19th century. In several of the creation myths of Africa the world is said to be supported on the back of an enormous turtle. In this design the mother turtle gives a ride only to a single, smaller turtle. In the early years of the 20th century, the hardwood carvings of West Africa had a profound influence on the course of European Art. Pablo Picasso's groundbreaking work, the large oil painting Demoiselles D'Avignon, was informed by the "primitive" aesthetic of the African masks which were for the first time generally available to the European public in the first years of the 20th century. In the second half of the 20th century, African artists have begun to be recognized in their own right. The early woodcarvings, however, remain an inspiration to European and African artists alike.
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