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Portrait Mask, 19th–early 20th century (before 1914). Côte d'Ivoire. Baule or Guro peoples. Wood; H. 16 3/8 x W. 6 1/2 x D. 4 1/2 in. (H. 41.6 x W. 16.5 x D. 11.4 cm). Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton
This work was originally sourced by Paris-based dealer Paul Guillaume and eventually acquired by Alfred Stieglitz.
Mask for a forest spirit, 19th–early 20th century (before 1914). Côte d'Ivoire. Bete or We peoples. Wood; H. 14 3/4 x W. 7 1/4 x D. 6 3/4 in. (H. 37.5 x W. 18.4 x D. 17.2 cm). Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton
Left: Spoon, 19th–early 20th century (before 1914). Côte d'Ivoire. Baule or We or Dan artist. Wood; H. 9 5/8 x W. 1 13/16 x D. 2 3/16 in. (H. 24.5 x W. 4.6 x D. 5.6 cm). Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Right: Spoon, 19th–early 20th century (before 1914). Gabon. Eshira, Lumbo, or Punu peoples. Wood; H. 7 3/8 x W. 2 1/16 x D. 1 7/8 in. (H. 18.7 x W. 5.2 x D. 4.8 cm). Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton
These objects were originally sourced by Paris-based dealer Paul Guillaume and eventually acquired by Alfred Stieglitz.
Element from a Reliquary Ensemble, 19th–early 20th century (before 1914). Republic of Congo. Kota peoples, Ndassa group. Wood, copper, brass and pigments; H. 23 5/8 in. (60 cm). Musée Dapper, Paris
This work was originally sourced by Paris-based dealer Paul Guillaume. It was eventually acquired by Eugene and Agnes Meyer.
Alfred Stieglitz (1864–1946) promoted new forms of expression in the early twentieth century. His 291 gallery became a focal point for the New York avant-garde and a pioneering force in bringing European modern art to America. Stieglitz was introduced to African sculpture by the artist Max Weber in 1909 and, impressed by its spirituality and profound authenticity, planned to make it the focus of a revolutionary exhibition. Statuary in Wood by African Savages: The Root of Modern Art was the first exhibition in the United States dedicated entirely to African artifacts as fine art.