Maternity figure "gwan dusu" · Mali, Bamana · ID: 3032385
Gallery Alain Bovis, Paris, France
Description
wood, blotched brown patina, red paint, metal rings attached (nose and ears), eyes with metal inlay, stylized forms, flat limbs in contrast with accentuated voluminous breasts, fine grooved scarification marks, the child carved separately, slightly dam., minor missing parts, paint rubbed off, metal plate;
the figures called “gwan dusu” should reflect the image of the ideal woman, which includes the depiction of mother and child, encorporating fertility within the family and the community. “Gwan dusu” (meaning “heart of the gwan”) is a girls name and stands for the blacksmiths request to mobilize supernatural powers with the help of god for not only dominating the fire, but ensuring the continuity of the family through sacrificial rites.
Comparing literature
Colleyn, Jean Paul (Hg.), Bamana, Zürich 2001, p. 131