West African Wooden Standing Female Figure

Updated August 6, 2026

The hand-carved wooden figure is covered in a thick layer of white kaolin pigment, a material traditionally used in ritual contexts to represent spiritual purity or connection to the ancestor world. The figure wears a tall, black-painted conical headdress. The neck is elongated and features carved horizontal rings, often representing beauty and status. The face is stylized with narrow, slit-like eyes, a broad nose, and a thin mouth. Incised vertical scarification marks are present in groupings on the upper chest and between the shoulder blades. The figure is depicted with the right hand positioned across the chest and the left hand resting at the side. She wears a short, wrap-around skirt decorated with a black spotted pattern, potentially representing leopard skin. Adornments include multiple strands of small white seed beads at the neck, both wrists, the waist, and both ankles. The feet are carved with simple sandals.Height: 17 inches.The figure shows significant signs of age and wear. There is extensive flaking, craquelure, and loss to the white kaolin surface throughout the body. The wood exhibits drying cracks and grain separation, particularly on the torso and base. There is a pro

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