Good Evening Everyone! I Need You Help With this beautiful Wood Carving. Thank you!

I hope everyone is doing well and is safe! To me, I have this beautiful mini wood carved statue. Not sure if it is African or Asian carving, but hoping as usual someone can tell me where, when, or if possible the artist. Again, thank you all so much for your help and enjoy your evening

 

It looks East African to me. @2manybooks will probably know.

 

Yes, I believe your carving comes from East Africa, where there is an active carving industry by Kamba and Zaramo carvers in Kenya, and Makonde artisans in Tanzania and Mozambique.

The commercial carving tradition in the region originated with the Makonde artists during the colonial era, building on a long tradition of carving items for their own use. It was an important source of cash income to satisfy the tax demands of the colonial powers. The art spread to Kenya both by movement of the artists themselves, and by influence on other groups with previous carving traditions of their own.

The Makonde are known for their use of African Blackwood/mpingo/Dalbergia melanoxylon/African ebony, which has a dark heartwood and lighter colored sapwood. It is fine grained, well suited to intricate carving, and the color contrasts can be used to dramatic effect. The Zamoro also favor mpingo. But the tree has become endangered in some areas because of the heavy demand for carvings, and other types of wood are now being used, particularly by Kamba artists in Kenya. As your figure is not made of mpingo wood, I don't think he was made by a Makonde carver. More probably by a Kamba or other artisan in Kenya.

I believe your piece reflects 2 styles in the region. One, referred to as "binadamu" (which means human/people in Swahili), depicts realistic people of various local ethnic groups in daily activities. Another style depicts "shetani", which are spirit beings that may reveal themselves to Makonde carvers in their dreams. "A Shetani spirit can represent an emotional state, a nature spirit or a devil", and may be beneficial or detrimental. They are portrayed as uniquely distorted, convoluted figures.

Your figure shows elements of a standard binadamu figure, but is also exaggerated and distorted in a way that suggests the influence of shetani carvings, (particularly with the horns on his head). The word "shetani" is derived from the same root as "Satan".

You can find an excellent discussion of East African and Makonde wood carving here:
https://www.blackwoodconservation.org/makonde-art/

 

Wow! Thank you So much!!!

 

Thank you Any Jewelry!!!

 

Sorry, but I have to ask if you think this piece has anything to do with fertility? Thank you

 

No.

 

it's a man........if fertility....something else would be carved ....oversized !

 

I only ask because I was told that and since you know so much about it. I didnt think it would hurt to ask. Thank you so much for educating me.

 

I was told by someone who told me it had something to do with fertility. I myself was wondering how because it was a man with horns, but since I know nothing about statues like these I took him at his word because he is the expert and that maybe in some weird way it might have something to do with it biblical sense. lol

 

I think your expert................. isn't...

 

This is why I come here to reconfirm and you guys are the expert, experts