Statue

Figure of the Temne people of Sierra Leone, dating to the 20th century. The sculpture depicts a female figure, So-Nyande, which expresses through various physical features signs associated with prosperity linked to material culture, the ordered and civilized world of agriculture, and physical well-being: the ringed neck symbolizes wealth, the braided hairstyle recalls the lines of cultivated fields, and the shiny black skin is a sign of good health. The arms supporting the breasts emphasize the importance of the maternal role. The head is proportionate to the body and the forms are fluid, with the curve of the arms echoing that of the legs; the body’s axis, slightly tilted backward, gives the figure an upward thrust, while the block-like feet, in contrast with the rest, firmly anchor it to the ground. The work is part of the Bassani Collection and is housed at MUDEC – Museum of Cultures, Milan (inv. AFR 00021 2513A).

Photo: Paolo Vandrasch, Milano; Giuliano Spagnul, Milano; Vivi Papi, Varese.

Courtesy MUDEC.