Female Figurine or Finial, late 1800s-early 1900s, Cleveland Museum of Art: African ArtThis kneeling
Female Figurine or Finial, late 1800s-early 1900s, Cleveland Museum of Art: African ArtThis kneeling female figurine carved in ivory most likely served as the finial of a wooden staff or scepter that was probably owned and used as a status indicator by a high-ranking official or a ritual specialist. The figurine belongs to a group of stylistically related ivory carvings that may be the work of a few artists. Its metal-inlaid eyes, chipped teeth, and elaborate hairstyle imitating a wig, along with its abdominal scarifications and its kneeling posture, appear in other such sculptures, but the combination of these features is quite unusual. Another trait shared by some of these carvings is the oversized hands with elongated fingers. Its deep red color and polished surface suggest long-term use and intense handling.Size: Overall: 11 x 4 x 4 cm (4 5/16 x 1 9/16 x 1 9/16 in.)Medium: ivory, metalhttps://clevelandart.org/art/2010.446 -- source link
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