Standing female figure "jo nyeleni" · Mali, Bamana · ID: 3036870
Description
wood, blackish brown patina, the body consisting of geometrical forms, base;
“nyeleni” figures illustrate the Bamana notions of ideal feminine beauty and character traits desired in young marriagable women. Prominent breasts show the figure in its prime, able to bear and nourish children; the strong neck is associated with “honesty and integrity”. “Jo nyeleni” figures belong to the “jo” association. Most “jo” figural sculpture is used by the “numu jo” troop, the blacksmiths initiates. The “nyeleni” figures are either carried by the performers or placed behind them on the ground as a kind of backdrop. “Nyeleni” are said to increase visual interest, punctuating the performance and attracting the audience’s attention. They are “things to look at”. In performance they are adorned with loincloths, jewelry, head ties, or other items borrowed from young women in the village.
L’objet Standing female figure “jo nyeleni” avec l’ID d’objet 3036870 a fait partie de l’enchère 77th tribal art auction en 28 juin 2014 pour la dernière fois le Zemanek-Münster Hôtel des ventes et avait le numéro de lot 141.
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