Object Details
- Wolof artist
- Label Text
- The influence of Portugal and France has long been apparent in Senegalese goldwork, with designs being imitated as early as the 17th or 18th century by both Wolof and Tukulor artists. The basket of flowers design has been a popular design throughout this century, and was often part of the ngeganol collection given to a woman by her husband at their wedding. It may be from St. Louis, a town located at the mouth of the Senegal River, which during colonial times was a noted center for the production of jewelry such as this.
- For Senegalese women, the ideal necklace incorporates three pendants; one larger and central one with two complementary, smaller pendants flanking it. The central portion of the necklace is known as a kostine, and requires a great deal of skill and craftsmanship to create the delicate but ornate filigree of the flowers, coupled with the woven basketry design. According to Marian Johnson, it is known as a complet in French, because it is so complete that no other jewelry is needed to be worn.
- Description
- Tukulor "gold" (probably a mixture of silver and copper) necklace with a "basket-of-flowers" (paniers des fleurs) pendant on a gold chain. The main pendant is a basket crowned with six large florettes, four of which are heavily filigreed. Five pierced/openwork and filigreed elements dangle off the bottom of the basket, with two more on the sides of the basket, one on either side. The main pendant is connected to the chain via large filigreed florettes, one on either side. Hook-and-eye closure.
- Provenance
- Marian Johnson, purchased in Dakar, Senegal, 1963-late 20th century to 2012
- Exhibition History
- Good As Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., October 24, 2018-February 2, 2020; North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, September 16, 2020-January 3, 2021
- African Mosaic: Selections from the Permanent Collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2013–August 12, 2019 (installed November 7, 2014-August 1, 2017)
- Published References
- Maples, Amanda, Ashby Johnson, Marian, and Dumouchelle, Kevin D., 2018, Good As Gold, Washington, D.C.: NMAfA, Smithsonian, p. 21, 64, illustrated p. 18, 30
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Credit Line
- Gift of Dr. Marian Ashby Johnson
- 1930s-1940s
- Object number
- 2012-18-4
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- Jewelry
- Medium
- Gold-plated silver alloy
- Dimensions
- Pendant: 11.1 x 9.5 x 2.9 cm (4 3/8 x 3 3/4 x 1 3/16 in.)
- Chain with florettes: 49.5 cm (19 1/2 in.)
- Geography
- Senegal
- See more items in
- National Museum of African Art Collection
- Object Name
- kostine
- National Museum of African Art
- Topic
- Adornment
- Female use
- male
- floral
- flower
- Record ID
- nmafa_2012-18-4
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys76e01627f-82e9-44c3-82a5-c221f549bc5f
