Ashanti Bust of a Bearded Male, Based

Clay remembers. In West Africa, modeled heads and figures have long been tied to funerary and commemorative practice, and the faces they carry tend to stay with you.

This terracotta bust of a bearded man comes from Ghana. Six inches tall, it rises from a broad, bell-shaped base into a head that leans forward under a rounded, cap-like crown. Heavy brow. Small eyes. A jutting nose, full lips, and a pointed beard from the chin. The pale buff clay is chalky and mottled, with darker patches and areas of loss consistent with age.

He looks as though he has an opinion. Leave him to it.