Suddenly time and distance condense,
differences between races and cultures vanish,
and all people become one, when presented with
such an object as this work of art. A woman is
busy weaving a piece of cloth. The material is
wrapped around her legs, the end strand neatly
curled in a basket resting against her leg. She is
hard at work; we can see a certain strain on her
furrowed forehead, yet her expression is a
cheerful one, as if she is happily conversing with
her friends. It is very rare to catch a glimpse of
life long ago. It is the legacy of artists to give us
this insight. The artist of this enchanting
sculpture obviously took pleasure in his work.
The detail conveys an understanding of domestic
chores, and sympathy with the women who did
them. This particular woman has undoubtedly
done many such tasks in her life. Her breasts sag
as she leans slightly forward, perhaps denoting
her age. The shift of weight to her right is
cleverly depicted in added flesh on her left side.
She wears a headband tied into a knot at the
back. A band ending in two folds on her hip
delineates her skirt. A hole on the top of her
head suggests it was a drinking vessel. There
was value placed on skills such as weaving and
an enjoyment is seeing it represented in art- as
here, a domestic chore immortalized forever.
- (PF.4426)
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