High Quality Nigerian wooden maternity figure of Mother and Child
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Directory: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: African: Sculpture: Pre 1930: Item # 1490281
Directory: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: African: Sculpture: Pre 1930: Item # 1490281
$1,295.00
A carved and decorated Nigerian mother with child on her back, early 20th. century.
Artful style depicting a mother in a kneeling position, holding an offering bowl, with her child strapped on her back. The image, on a rounded base, is carved from a single piece of light wood. The figure has an oval head and bulging almond eyes with prominent, eyelids. The nose is flared and the lips full and sensual. Six vertical scarifications are on both cheeks. This type of scarification, termed pele, is regarded by many Yoruba communities in south-western Yorubaland as ‘gems’ on the human face. She has raised single-crested coiffure with incised triangular motifs. This coiffure is called irun agogo, which is commonly related to marriage.
She has several bracelets on each wrist of red and blue beads. and is painted in some wonderful red, white and black colours. The offering bowl is inscribed in white with the letters: O_M_O and LERE with white on red.
Very rare and of exquisite style.
Size: 35,3 cm. tall and 25 cm. wide.
Condition: Extremely fine for the type, preserved pigments, only some minor wear to base. Attractive patination with some fading of colours.
Provenance: Ulf Gudmundsen Tribal art collection, c. 1950s-2007. Ulf was a Danish collector of Tribal woodcarvings, and his collection was especially rich on high quality Yoruba and Côte d’Ivoire figures and masks.
Artful style depicting a mother in a kneeling position, holding an offering bowl, with her child strapped on her back. The image, on a rounded base, is carved from a single piece of light wood. The figure has an oval head and bulging almond eyes with prominent, eyelids. The nose is flared and the lips full and sensual. Six vertical scarifications are on both cheeks. This type of scarification, termed pele, is regarded by many Yoruba communities in south-western Yorubaland as ‘gems’ on the human face. She has raised single-crested coiffure with incised triangular motifs. This coiffure is called irun agogo, which is commonly related to marriage.
She has several bracelets on each wrist of red and blue beads. and is painted in some wonderful red, white and black colours. The offering bowl is inscribed in white with the letters: O_M_O and LERE with white on red.
Very rare and of exquisite style.
Size: 35,3 cm. tall and 25 cm. wide.
Condition: Extremely fine for the type, preserved pigments, only some minor wear to base. Attractive patination with some fading of colours.
Provenance: Ulf Gudmundsen Tribal art collection, c. 1950s-2007. Ulf was a Danish collector of Tribal woodcarvings, and his collection was especially rich on high quality Yoruba and Côte d’Ivoire figures and masks.
