Tomb stela "aloalo" ·  Madagascar, Mahafaly · ID: 3038052

Description

wood, stained blackish brown patina, standing male figure, supporting a board-shaped superstructure in openwork design, crowned by an ox, old collection label “P.28/1967 - 5 - Dr. Gernböck” - 146.942 Madagaskar", the latter collection number two more times handwritten on the object, slightly dam., minor missing parts (chin, nose, rim zone), abrasion of paint, rep. (breakages: left forearm, both horntips), small traces of insect caused damage;
the Mahafaly are mainly herdsmen of puckered zebu cattle which form their natural basis of life and are the main motif of their figurative art as well. Especially they are characteristic part of the “aloalo” funeral posts, which were placed on the “valavato”, the funeral area of distinguished clans. The restless souls of the diceased inhabited the “aloalos”. They could be calmed down and honoured by sacrifices.

The object Tomb stela “aloalo” with the object ID 3038052 was last part of the auction 79th Tribal Art Auction at March 21, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 515 achieved a sales price of EUR 800.

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Comparing literature

Phillips, Tom (Hg.), Afrika, Die Kunst eines Kontinents, Berlin 1996, p. 148