id: 150935 accession number: 1982.341.1 share license status: Copyrighted url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.341.1 updated: 2022-01-04 16:56:46.731000 Bracelet, before 1927. Africa, West Africa, Liberia, Dan-style maker. Copper alloy; overall: 16 x 14.2 cm (6 5/16 x 5 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Willett Rankin Wilson, in memory of Audley R. and Edna Moore Wilson 1982.341.1 title: Bracelet title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: before 1927 creation date earliest: 1920 creation date latest: 1927 current location: 108A Sub-Saharan creditline: Gift of Willett Rankin Wilson, in memory of Audley R. and Edna Moore Wilson copyright: --- culture: Africa, West Africa, Liberia, Dan-style maker technique: Copper alloy department: African Art collection: African Art type: Jewelry find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 16 x 14.2 cm (6 5/16 x 5 9/16 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Arts of Africa: Gallery Rotation (African art rotation) opening date: 2021-12-10T05:00:00 Arts of Africa: Gallery Rotation (African art rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (December 10, 2021-December 18, 2022). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE Collected by Willett Rankin Wilson in Liberia, 1927/28 date: 1927/28 footnotes: * Memorandum from Virginia Crawford to Dr. Lee, 12-8-82, curatorial file * Letter from Willett R. Wilson to Virginia Crawford, 12-20-82, curatorial file citations: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH date: 1982– footnotes: * The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1984, p. 76 citations: Willett Rankin Wilson, Lyndhurst, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art date: 1927/28–1982 footnotes: * Memorandum from Virginia Crawford to Dr. Lee, 12-8-82, curatorial file * Letter from Willett R. Wilson to Virginia Crawford, 12-20-82, curatorial file citations: --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: This bracelet was created by the "lost-wax" (cire-perdue) technique---first modelled in wax, next covered with clay, then heated to melt or "lose" the wax, which was replaced by molten brass. Several such anklets were attached at the time of a woman's marriage and only removed after her death. Their weight and decorative richness expressed her husband's wealth and prestige as well as her own favored status, for such a woman was expected to live a life of some leisure while other wives and retainers did farming and domestic chores. The spheres around the perimeter--bells--added beautiful sounds to an impressive sight. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS --- IMAGES