Catherine Olliveaud and Alain Touzinaud, whose inspiring collection is featured in The Creative Museum have acquired some notable pieces of African art, which has a rich tradition of anthropomorphism, or carving emotions into animals, which display a profound understanding of the human condition.
From the Akan people of Ghana, this painted wood comb portrays the “Sankofa bird and means “go back and fetch it”. It is a traditional Akan symbol as is the Sankofa heart.” This knowledge was contributed by our member, Robert Belcher. Thank you, Robert!
![](http://www.barbarasdreams.com/images/ebayblog/Dec2010wordpress/use-africancomb1.jpg)
This comb reminds me of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” but it is decorated with a traditional diagonal mask from the Lwimbi people of Angola.
![](http://www.barbarasdreams.com/images/ebayblog/Dec2010wordpress/use-africancomb2.jpg)
This comb reminds me of Magritte, but it is a symbol of feminine power made by the Dan people of the Ivory Coast.
![](http://www.barbarasdreams.com/images/ebayblog/Dec2010wordpress/use-africancomb3.jpg)
The Yaouré people of the Ivory Coast elongated the neck and beak of this bird so it would hold a comb on top of a mask. This technique of exaggerating animal features was famously used by Lalique when he interpreted Japanese combs through the lens of French Symbolist philosophy. I love the fact that skewed features were used in Africa independently of European Western thought.
![](http://www.barbarasdreams.com/images/ebayblog/Dec2010wordpress/Masq-Yaoure.jpg)
This is another superb piece of ivory carving by the Yaouré people of the Ivory Coast. It has been dyed with palm oil.
![](http://www.barbarasdreams.com/images/ebayblog/Dec2010wordpress/use-africancomb4.jpg)
Our last comb is ivory in remarkable condition, and comes from the Akan people of Ghana. It portrays two ancestors standing in arches carved with intricate sacrificial decoration.
![](http://www.barbarasdreams.com/images/ebayblog/Dec2010wordpress/use-africancomb6.jpg)