No.35 Makonde Seated Female Figure
Wood, cloth
Origin: Southeast Africa (Mozambique region)
Interesting facts: According to Makonde legend, the first man on earth fell asleep after sculpting a female figure out of wood. He awoke to find the statue had become a real woman who was eager to mate with him. The result was many children, and the woman herself became the ancestress of the Makonde. This accounts for the predominance of female representations in their art. This remarkably powerful statue is most likely an ancestor figure, intended to bring good fortune to a village. She may have been created as an effigy to frighten away evil spirits. The Makonde believe ancestors return to earth to celebrate the successful completion of initiation by the new generation of young adults.
Wood, cloth
Origin: Southeast Africa (Mozambique region)
Weight | 1.2 kg |
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Dimensions | 28 × 23 × 19 cm |