Dan People Ivory Coast Female Figure "Lu Me" 1930/1940

In Dan society, sculptures of women are prestigious objects that reflect positively both on their owners' and their subjects' reputations. Among the most costly of Dan expressive forms, they are commissioned by men to honour an exceptionally esteemed wife. The sculptures are conceived of as portraits of the women they depict, although this and other examples suggest an overarching emphasis on established Dan ideals of feminine beauty. In some instances, ' lu me' sculptures are made public to the village during a ceremony where the man who commissioned the carving is recognized and gaining social prestige. These figures may also be kept in tiny houses and only publicly shown on special occasions.