20th Century Hand-Carved Ebony Wood Makonde Sculpture Depicting Ujamaa in the Shetani Style, Mozambique

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Description

A stunning hand-carved solid ebony ethnic sculpture depicting an African family, signed with a metal plaque on the base "Makonde … Read more A stunning hand-carved solid ebony ethnic sculpture depicting an African family, signed with a metal plaque on the base "Makonde Sculpture - East Africa." This sculpture is based on the Ujamaa sphere, designed by Roberto Yakobo Sangwani, one of several styles of Makonde art, formally known as Dimoongo, meaning "power of strength" or "tree of life." This sculpture is entirely hand-carved, making it a one-of-a-kind, crafted from one of the world's finest woods.

Useful information for appraising this item:
from our online research, we've found that many similar Makonde sculptures are offered on various online art and antiques sites at very high prices, sometimes exceeding €1,000. Unfortunately, we are not particularly expert in African art and cannot precisely assess the value of this sculpture. However, we are certainly talking about a unique, hand-carved piece of excellent quality that could be very valuable.

Information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
Makonde sculptures are those created in East Africa by artisans or artists belonging to the Makonde people of northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania. Art historians, dealers, and collectors have contributed to the development of this genre of African art, thanks to a growing demand for these types of art objects. This genre can be traced back to the 1930s, when the first documented exhibition of Makonde art was held at the Centro Cultural dos Novosin in Mozambique. Regardless of the central figure, the main characteristic of Makonde art is the representation of a central figure surrounded and supported by other figures. These sculptures are called "ujamaa," which literally means "family ties." See less