Goldweight [Beetle] 19th-20th century

This is a brass goldweight in the form of a beetle, made by an Akan artist. These weights were essential tools in the economy of the Akan people, who lived in what is now Ghana. The lost-wax casting process used to make this object is ancient. First, a wax model is formed, then encased in clay, and then heated to melt out the wax. Molten brass is then poured into the cavity. Once cooled, the clay is broken away to reveal the final form. The fine striations on the beetle’s body suggests the level of detail achieved through this method. What’s particularly interesting is that these objects are both sculptural miniatures and economic tools. They underscore how art and commerce have always been intertwined. The weight refers to a system that valued gold, connecting local craftsmanship to global trade. This object urges us to reconsider the rigid categories that separate art, craft, and the realities of economic exchange.