Bamana Gwandusu standing mother-and-child statue - Mali, 20th century

Description

Powerful Bamana Gwandusu standing mother-and-child statue (53.5 cm) from Mali, 20th century.

This impressive maternity statue depicts a standing mother with child on her back, carved from wood with a dark patina. The figure has conical breasts, a strictly stylised hairdo and a prominently elaborated navel - an important spiritual symbol among the Bamana, referring to life force and the connection to ancestors and descendants.

Origin & meaning
The statue belongs to the Gwandusu tradition of the Bamana, in which maternity figures played a central role in rituals around fertility, continuity and transmission of power. The prominent breasts symbolise nourishment and care, the child on the back represents fertility and genealogy, and the navel emphasises the connection with ancestors. Standing maternity figures express additional vitality and were often placed in shrines and used in important ceremonies.

Dimensions & condition
Height: 53.5 cm (57.5 cm with plinth).
Width: 13 cm.
Depth: 15 cm.
Condition: traces of age and use, appropriate to its age. See photos for details.