Mémoire d’Afrique — Ref. 164
Sowo wa maternity statue — Mendé, Sierra Leone — African tribal art — Ref. 164
Description
Coming from the Mende people of Sierra Leone, this statue embodies the sacred maternal figure, probably linked to the rites of the Sande secret society. Initiated women venerated protective figures there, embodying fertility, wisdom and the transmission of knowledge.
Representing a woman with a dignified bearing, this sculpture has an openwork and finely braided hairstyle, a symbol of nobility and spiritual knowledge. Its refined features and half-closed eyelids reflect an ideal of calm and introspection, while the child she carries evokes protection and the continuity of lineages. The body adorned with necklaces and scarifications underlines her high status.
Carved from dense, patinated wood, the statue shows traces of ritual use, confirming its age. Its fluid and harmonious style links it to Mende aesthetic canons, in which divine femininity is celebrated.
Technical details
- Type of piece
- Statue
- Category
- Statues
- Ethnic group
- Mendé
- Country
- Sierra Léone
- Materials
- wood
- Dimensions
- H 117 × W 28 × D 28 cm
- Weight
- 15,2 kg
- Estimated dating
- second half 20th c.
- Laboratory test
- Not tested
- Reference
- 164