Seeing the spirit: The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts - African American collection, Richmond, Virginia - Advertising Supplement: Virginia

American Visions, June-July, 1994 by Henry Chase

Among the Virginia Museum's outstanding holdings is a buffalo mask and feather costume from Cameroon--an all-too-rare example of an African mask displayed with its original costume. The buffalo is peaceful in nature--unless disturbed or wounded, when it becomes the most dangerous of all African animals. The buffalo's cunning, strength and ability to survive in a harsh environment--attributes that are sung in its praise--are also associated with Cameroonian royalty. In fact, the right to own images of buffaloes is a privilege bestowed by the king as a symbol of authority. Typically, the honor is granted to a high-ranking member of a men's society responsible for enforcing laws or upholding cultural customs or values.

Look as well for the museum's other outstanding masks, including the sowei helmet mask of the Mende (Sierra Leone) women's secret society, the Sande; the mask from the Bwane society of the Lega people of Zaire; and the mask carved by a master craftsman of the Dan people of the Ivory Coast.

A Yombe ivory scepter and an Asante linguist staff in the collection rival the aforementioned Mende ivory horn as exceptional examples of African royal regalia. A chief speaks to his audience through the linguist, who repeats his words and theirs, embellishing upon those of the chief, incorporating parables and maxims in eloquent discourse. The staff is the linguist's symbol of office. And since linguists are among the most skilled and clever speakers in the kingdom, it is only fitting that Asante proverbs are given their most compelling artistic application in the finials, or adornments, of linguist staffs.

The finial of the brilliantly gilded linguist staff in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts portrays a hen turning toward a rooster, illustrating the proverb, "The hen knows when it is dawn, but leaves it to the rooster to announce." As is typical of Asante proverbs, this expression is rich in possible meanings. For many museum visitors, it offers insight into the respective roles of women and men. Of course, women generally see this clearly, while men tend toward an uncharacteristic silence and a not uncharacteristic blindness about gender power.

For its part, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts promises to let these objects of extraordinary power and beauty speak mostly for themselves, confident that in them, visitors will see themselves--and will also see for themselves the wisdom of the ancestors. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 2800 Grove Avenue Richmond 23221-2466 (804) 367-0844 Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm; Thu, until 10pm; Sun, 1pm-5pm Suggested donation, $4