"Colonial People" are figures that tell two stories at once. At first glance, the bright outfits and smiling faces give off a cheerful energy. Look longer and the figures turn somber: the sadness in the eyes, the forced smile, the hands held passively in pockets as they mirror the dress of the colonists.
Colonial, or "colon," figures originated in the Ivory Coast during the colonial period, carved for indigenous use rather than for market. They depict European officials, soldiers, doctors, and Westernized Africans in European clothing and posture. The genre earned worldwide acclaim after decolonization, and scholars still debate whether the original figures were satire, ritual objects, or simply new subjects rendered in local styles. Available in three heights: 39, 59, and 61 inches. Only a few pieces remain.
