The proud mother sits on a rather interesting
seating arrangement, having a representation of
a thick band around her waist, extending behind
to rest on a short vertical column. Within the
“folds of cloth,” a baby is nestled comfortably.
Another child lies asleep on the woman’s lap
with its head and feet held by her hands. Her
breasts hang very low, two thick collars or
necklaces cover her shoulders, her conical
striated coiffure is painted black and her rather
blissful expression attests to the joys of
motherhood. A unique stylistic feature is the
long ears placed at a near horizontal angle from
the hairline to the lower portion of the cheek.
On the circular base, two other children are
depicted in the kneeling position, each holding a
bowl as an offering. This sculpture was made to
be placed on a shrine to petition ancestors for
children; hence the overtly maternal theme of
the group. Within its spatial confines is a world
of meaning, of hop for the continuation of life
for both the individual and the community.
- (PF.5398)
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