Monday 6 February 2012

“The Fashionable Hair”– Africa’s coastal style in the 1900s

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These images are from two series of postcards produced between 1900 and 1910 by the photographer F.W.H Arkhurst in Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast. Arkhurst, a member of the Nzima ethnic group born in the Gold Coast , was a timber exporter who lived in Assinie and later in Grand Bassam. His studio photographs capture perfectly the then fashionable style of  women’s dress along the African coast from the Niger Delta to the Ivory Coast as families grew prosperous from trading opportunities in the expanding colonial economies. Hair was swept high and adorned with gold jewellery or wrapped in cloth, tailored dress was of imported cotton prints, often with a shawl or wrap of locally woven fabrics.

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9 comments:

  1. These are so beautiful! I love seeing this piece of time and the strength and dignity of these women.

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  2. These are exremely beautiful photos...it's probably the firt time I've seen African women of this time period portrayed with such an air of nobility. Are reproductions available for purchase somewhere?

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  3. I'm happy you like them. A few are reproduced in books on old postcards, the whole series in a very obscure and hard to find book on Ivory Coast postcards, but they have not been reprinted. You are welcome to use my scans if you like (the original print quality of the cards is poor so I can't get them any better.

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  4. It's so funny to see these pictures because I am from Ivory Coast, and actually from the very area the pictures where taken. And also, one of my very good friend is a descendant of the photograppher and they have the same name!

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  5. Lovely photos of regal African women. Very positive.

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  6. These women are so exotic and beautiful!! It makes Me want to cry just to see and know that we have always been naturally beautiful!! Thank you so very much for sharing and posting these FABULOUS PICTURE!! Peace!

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  7. These women are so beautiful and exotic. It makes Me want to cry, just seeing and knowing that WE have always been naturally beautiful!!! Thank You so very much for sharing these FABULOUS PICTURES!! Peace!!

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  8. These Sista's are absolutely GAWGEOUS!! They are so exotic and beautiful!! It makes want to cry, just seeing and knowing WE have always been naturally beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing!! Peace!!

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