This is the rating and price for 20Th C. Mali Polychrome Wood Puppet Mami Wata

Description : **Originally Listed At $500** West Africa, Mali, Bozo peoples, ca. 20th century CE. An impressive Bozo puppet depicting Mami Wata, the water deity and ultimate Mother Water in a mermaid form - her long, slender body resolving in a fishtail. The puppet is hand-carved from wood with separately carved arms joined to the torso beneath black and white zigzag patterned fabric shoulder coverings, her red body embellished with white polka dots which may represent diamonds or pearls as these are some of her attributes, her conical breasts with black nipples, her beautiful visage comprised of deep-set eyes with brass tack pupils and thick black-painted lashes, a long aquiline nose, puckered lips, and cup-shaped ears - all topped by a long black coiffure adorned with white polka dots, this pattern also gracing her tail. An elegant and quite sizeable Mami Wata puppet from the Bozo people of Mali! Size: 22.75 W (arms extended) x 35.5 H (57.8 cm x 90.2 cm) Water has and continues to be upheld as a sacred and essential element of nature in many cultures, and the goddess Mami Wata is venerated throughout the African continent. She is represented as the embodiment of African beauty oftentimes with an elaborate hairstyle as we see in this example. Interestingly, the red and white color scheme may also represent the dual nature of Mami Wata - red symbolizing death, destruction, power, being male, and physicality, white symbolizing beauty, creation, spirituality, wealth, being female, and water. Provenance: ex Susan Ohori collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm. Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping. #167063
Price: 391.50 USD It's free to register now to view!
Estimate (low-high) : 600 USD-900 USD It's free to register now to view!

Details