H x W x D: 11.5 x 2.7 x 2.7 cm (4 1/2 x 1 1/16 x 1 1/16 in.)
Type:
Sculpture
Geography:
Mali
Niger
Date:
Early to mid-20th century
Label Text:
Keys are symbols of wealth and status. Both locks and keys may be highly decorated with openwork designs and hammered engravings.
Description:
Three keys on a ring with engraved motifs and pierced openwork geometric designs.
Provenance:
Private European collection, collected Niger or Mali, 1959-1971 to 1993
Exhibition History:
Caravans of Gold Fragments in Time, Block Museum of Art, Evanston, IL, January 26, 2019–July 21, 2019; The Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, Canada, September 21, 2019–February 23, 2020; Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., July 16, 2021 – February 27, 2022
Art from the Forge, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., September 6, 1995-January 2, 1996
Content Statement:
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