Standing female figure "lü mä"

Description

wood, blackish brown patina, red pigment, kaolin, metal teeth, massive shoulders, strong arms and big hands, the breasts particularly accentuated, incised banded tatoos, collection number “N-84” backside, crack, traces of insect caused damage (feet backside), abrasion of paint;
such figures are called “lü mä” - “wood person”. They are portraits, mainly of living people, and even carry the name of the depicted person. Typically a portrait of a woman esteemed by her husband - a chief or important person - who commissioned the work from a sculptor. The husband would take possession of it with some pomp, then hide it away jealously, showing it only on special occasions. These portrait figures show individual traits of the depicted person, maybe her tattoos or coiffure, the form of her breasts or the navel, a special form of the face or the lips, which are worked into a typified image of a figure.

Publications

AHDRC: 0139798