'African' carved heads

Discussion in 'Tribal Art' started by Chinoiserie, Oct 1, 2023.

  1. Chinoiserie

    Chinoiserie Well-Known Member

    Picked these up for a song yesterday. I'm guessing that they aren't actually tribal and look to be either African souvenirs or home store wall hanging decorations for the western market. Any ideas which?
    The wood underneath seems to be paler and they are heavily stained.. Hard to tell what sort of wood without seeing the actual grain. They are quite heavy and the female weighs 1.6kg. She is 46cm tall. The male is 40cm.

    IMG_20231001_125429_copy_912x1216.jpg IMG_20231001_125416_copy_906x1209.jpg
     
    moreotherstuff likes this.
  2. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

    Probably the work of a Makonde carver (Tanzania/Mozambique/Kenya), made for sale. The use of the dark wood (possibly African Blackwood), and the fine textures carved in their clothing and hair, are characteristic of Makonde carving.

    They are similar to this one listed on etsy, about which they say "We purchased this piece directly from the carvers near Morogoro in Tanzania."

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/1120750005/makonde-tribal-wall-plaque?gpla=1&gao=1&
     
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