Standing Female Burial Post Figure
Origin: Madagascar; Malagasy
Circa: 19th to 20th Century
Dimensions: 30.5 in (77.5 cm) Tall
Materials: Wood, patina stain
Provenance: Private Paris Collection, John Giltsoff, Spain
In western Madagascar, important Sakalava families place there dead in rectilinear wooden enclosures whose corners are embellished with figural sculptures of women, men, and birds. This sculpture of a woman originally adorned such a gravesite. Its bent knees, elaborate coiffure, and full bosom emphasize an ideal of female imagery that was originally paired with a male figure to suggest fertility and regeneration.
Source: www.metmuseum.org
