Earring

Object Details

Tukulor artist

Wolof artist

Label Text

Earrings, particularly twisted gold hoops ubiquitous throughout western Africa since the first millenium AD, are an essential component of any Senegalese jewelry ensemble. Often paired with a matching pendant or necklace, the more ornate patterns reflect their European inspirations, incorporating delicate filigree work and crested with flowers and circlets of twisted wire design. These designs often bore French names, or French derivatives. Dangling versions, sometimes modeled after common necklace designs, are also popular and are known as "long-longs." Others are small hoops composed of coiled or twisted wire meant to be attached permanently to the ear and worn in multiples.

Senegalese women are known for their political activism, and earrings are a popular vehicle for commemorating political events, causes or people, resulting in named and widely circulated designs. This particular earring style, designed by Mambeye 'Doudou' Gueye around 1951, is named "tonaimar." Dedicated to Abdoulaye Mar Diop, a highly regarded and industrious mayor of Saint-Louis, it encouraged him to "take it easy" and not work quite so hard.

Another event memorialized in earring form ("Loi de Lamine") celebrates the Lamine Guèye law (loi Lamine Guèye) of 1945 when women gained the right to vote, due to Lamine Guèye's tireless protests during his tenure as the Sengalese representative to France. French citizenship had been extended to the Senegalese colonies, but originally proposed to exclude women.

Celebrated beauties or pillars of the community were also memorialized, as in the earrings known as "Pauline Diacks." Popular throughout Senegal, the style acclaimed the famously beautiful and accomplished midwife from Saint-Louis. Other famous beauties were similarly honored - an earring style composed of three semicircles and known as "re Kiné" ("Kiné's smile") represents the smile of a beauty named Kiné N'Diaye.

Description

Gold-plated silver alloy pendant in the shape of a teardrop or heart with two points that angle towards one another at a top central inverted teardrop. A central tiered rosette is flanked by seven smaller circular tiered projections and one inside the inverted teardrop above the central rosette. The pendant framework is filled with all over undulating filigree. A handmade bent wire earring post is applied at the back, but partially broken off.

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. 43, 69, illustrated p. 71

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Credit Line

Gift of Dr. Marian Ashby Johnson

Mid-20th century

Object number

2012-18-79

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Jewelry

Medium

Gold-plated silver alloy

Dimensions

H x W x D: 4.6 x 3.6 x 1.7 cm (1 13/16 x 1 7/16 x 11/16 in.)

Geography

Senegal

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Object Name

tonaimar

National Museum of African Art

Topic

Adornment

Female use

male

floral

flower

Record ID

nmafa_2012-18-79

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7d1bad854-4ebe-43eb-8b78-4fcacf07c38c