African Mami Wata Seated on Pot — Handcarved Wooden Sculpture

Commanding, mysterious, and alive with ritual power — this handcarved African wooden sculpture depicts Mami Wata seated atop a bold round pot, her dark ebony-stained upper body dynamic and expressive — one arm raised with index finger pointing skyward, the other arm bent holding a bold pestle into the pot below, her lower body wrapped in a bold fish scale pattern, all mounted on a bold geometric-carved rectangular base, in rich two-tone dark ebony and warm natural hardwood. The figure is a masterwork of expressive figurative carving — her face bold and composed with strong brows, deeply set eyes, a broad nose, and a slightly parted mouth, crowned by a bold large fan-shaped headdress with bold fine vertical line marks radiating outward. Her neck is strong and her torso powerfully modelled in deep dark ebony-stained wood, her right arm raised high with the index finger pointing boldly upward in a gesture of divine authority, her left arm bent at the elbow holding a bold cylindrical pestle down into the round pot below. Her lower body is wrapped in a bold fish scale pattern — each scale a bold carved oval form, the scales covering the entire lower body and merging with the round pot form below. The pot is a bold round bulbous form in warm natural hardwood, its surface smooth and warm, decorated with bold carved leaf or chevron marks at the front. The base is a bold rectangular block with bold incised geometric zigzag and dash marks covering its surface. The entire sculpture is carved in rich two-tone dark ebony-stained upper body and warm natural hardwood lower body and base. A work of extraordinary sculptural drama, ritual symbolism, and cultural power.

Details

• Original handcarved one-of-a-kind sculpture — not a reproduction
• Two-tone carving — dark ebony-stained upper body, warm natural hardwood lower body
• Subject: Mami Wata seated on pot, one arm raised, holding pestle
• Bold large fan headdress — bold fish scale lower body wrap
• Round pot with carved leaf marks — geometric-carved rectangular base
• Freestanding — four sides fully carved and detailed
• A powerful collector's piece or bold interior statement

Dimensions

• Height: 20 inches
• Width: 5 inches