2024-II-AD

Maternity Figure 

- a standing young female carrying a child on her back - 

made by the Akan or Attie Peoples, Ivory Coast, West Africa,

signs of high age and many times of handling, 

we think it could be 19th Century or else early 20th Century,

we see it being a very touching, sweet and old sculpture,

the figure has segmented arms and legs, 

a full abdomen with a slightly protruding navel and some scarifications above it, 

beneath it almost a second navel looking spot, but probably also a scarification mark,

the wrists and hands are angular placed against the abdomen, 

the small but long breasts with scarification marks are pointed forward, 

the neck is slightly overlong with two rings, 

she has a very small line as mouth and next to it, just visible, a scarification mark, 

a straight long nose, her eyes seem closed, 

a finely carved coiffure with two upwards standing pigtails on top of the head,

on the mother's back hangs a small child with an elongated torso, looking sidewards,

overall signs of high age, so often handled that the complete surface is extremely smoothened,

old bug holes on top of the head, on the back of the head and on her left bottom,

her left foot is partial missing,

- we did not clean, nor polish it -

provenance: a private collection of African tribal art in The Netherlands, collected since 1960

height excl. base: circa 31 cm / 12.2 inch

including base: circa 32 cm / 12.5 inch

weight: circa 367 gr.

please note: we are no experts on the subject of tribal art, we have done some limited and unprofessional research, trying to attribute this item to a land, country, tribe or people, to the best we could - do judge for yourself the tribal affilation and the correct age - we are selling this item "as is" and we will not accept returns if the buyer finds that we are wrong concerning these matters.