6ft tall African sculpture

I was hoping someone might be able to shed some light on this African sculpture. The only history I know on it was that my dad acquired it in the early 1980’s. He bought it at a flea market from someone that blindly purchased a container from US Customs that had been seized for whatever reason. The statue is about 6 feet tall. Appears to be of a single piece of wood. It’s been in my house since I was a kid, but I’d appreciate if anyone had any information on it.

 

Welcome @dinajs .
I will tag @2manybooks for you, she may be able to help.

 

A closer look at the beads would be helpful, I think...Thanks!

 

Added thank you!

 

Welcome, @dinajs.

Large figures such as yours seem to have been a popular import in the 1970s and 1980s. I really appreciate your story of its particular history.

They are larger than figures typically made for use in the original African cultures - I suspect the carvers were operating under the commercial idea that bigger is better - and they often have a confusing mixture of forms. Carvers combined elements of different traditional styles, making it difficult to attribute a piece to a specific group. In the case of your figure I think it is most likely from the Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), which has been a major hub of the art trade in West Africa. It combines features that can be seen in other work by Senufo, Baule, and Yaure carvers in the region.

There are some interesting features of your piece. It appears to portray a pre-pubescent female. The absence of prominent breasts is unusual (usually a selling point for western buyers). And it looks like she is holding a small container in her left hand, which is a nice detail.

 

she's lovely !

 

$ 500 sounds reasonable ..... the beads alone could be worth $ 100...

 

The beads are nice.

 

Thank you everyone!