decorative carved gourd

unrecorded Hausa-Fulani artist, artist

decorative carved gourd, 2001

Where object was made: Kano, Nigeria

Material/technique: gourd; paint; carving; string

Dimensions:
Object Height/Diameter (Height x Diameter): 2.5 x 20.5 cm
Object Height/Diameter (Height x Diameter): 1 x 8 1/16 in

Credit line: Gift of Professor Beverly Mack

Accession number: C2011.006

Not on display

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Collection Cards: Animals

The Hausa-Fulani artist that carved these bright birds on a calabash, or dried squash, comes from Nigeria. The artist may have been inspired by the local, colorful wildlife. However, the birds were not carved and painted to look like real birds. Instead, the artist has simplified the details, creating a beautiful decoration rather than a realistic picture of nature.

If you were to imagine that these were real birds, what kinds of birds do you think they would be? Study books or online resources to find different kinds of blue and red birds across the world.