Early– Mid 20th Century (circa 1900–1950)
Materials: Carved wood; worn metal neck and wrist adornments with internal bell elements (ferrous)
This is the kind of West African sculpture collectors chase: tall, poised, and quietly powerful, with an unforgettable silhouette. Carved by the Bamana people of Mali, it presents a seated mother holding her child — an image that carries far more weight than Western notions of "motherhood." In Bamana culture, maternity figures like this were linked to community ceremonies and ideals of fertility, protection, and continuity, brought out on important occasions rather than made for decoration.
The carving commands a room: elongated neck and torso, calm, heavy-lidded eyes, and a helmet-like coiffure with long side elements framing the face. The child is held firmly at the abdomen — a steadying, protective gesture that reads instantly from across a room. The surface shows exactly the honest age collectors want: softened high points, deeper tone in protected areas, and natural variation across the patina.
A standout feature is the neck and wrist adornment — non-magnetic metal rings fitted with ferrous internal balls that function as bells. In-hand wear is strong and convincing: decorative lines are partially smoothed from use, the metal sits married to the figure (not removable without deforming it), and contact areas show the long-term interaction consistent with ceremonial life.
Condition is well-aged and stable, with no visible repairs. Checks and cracks show darkened, oxidized edges — not recent. Old wear and loss at the lower extremities are expected in a figure of this size and age. Arrested insect activity on the underside of the stool is consistent with age and storage. An unattached wood display base is included.
For context, a closely related Bamana Gwandusu maternity figure is on view, both online and in person, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in Gallery 341. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/312336
Condition: Well-aged and stable overall. Old wear/losses are present at the lower extremities/base area.
Dimensions: Overall with base 30 × 6.25 × 6.25 inches; Figure only 27.5 × 6 × 8 inches (H x W x D)
Early– Mid 20th Century (circa 1900–1950)
Materials: Carved wood; worn metal neck and wrist adornments with internal bell elements (ferrous)
This is the kind of West African sculpture collectors chase: tall, poised, and quietly powerful, with an unforgettable silhouette. Carved by the Bamana people of Mali, it presents a seated mother holding her child — an image that carries far more weight than Western notions of "motherhood." In Bamana culture, maternity figures like this were linked to community ceremonies and ideals of fertility, protection, and continuity, brought out on important occasions rather than made for decoration.
The carving commands a room: elongated neck and torso, calm, heavy-lidded eyes, and a helmet-like coiffure with long side elements framing the face. The child is held firmly at the abdomen — a steadying, protective gesture that reads instantly from across a room. The surface shows exactly the honest age collectors want: softened high points, deeper tone in protected areas, and natural variation across the patina.
A standout feature is the neck and wrist adornment — non-magnetic metal rings fitted with ferrous internal balls that function as bells. In-hand wear is strong and convincing: decorative lines are partially smoothed from use, the metal sits married to the figure (not removable without deforming it), and contact areas show the long-term interaction consistent with ceremonial life.
Condition is well-aged and stable, with no visible repairs. Checks and cracks show darkened, oxidized edges — not recent. Old wear and loss at the lower extremities are expected in a figure of this size and age. Arrested insect activity on the underside of the stool is consistent with age and storage. An unattached wood display base is included.
For context, a closely related Bamana Gwandusu maternity figure is on view, both online and in person, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in Gallery 341. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/312336
Condition: Well-aged and stable overall. Old wear/losses are present at the lower extremities/base area.
Dimensions: Overall with base 30 × 6.25 × 6.25 inches; Figure only 27.5 × 6 × 8 inches (H x W x D)
