Pregnant Woman, Altar

Bidjogo · Guinea-Bissau

Reference: MSOAL-18

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Height
61 cm
Material
Wood, rag and pigments.

For Bidjogo everything sacred or anything that can enclose a mysterious energy is called . All peoples worship the Great Spirit of the Earth, the Great…

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Full original description

For Bidjogo everything sacred or anything that can enclose a mysterious energy is called . All peoples worship the Great Spirit of the Earth, the Great Iran.

After a sculptor has carved a must be sacrificed for what the elders, in a private sanctuary, apply to him the libations and potions established in tradition and the definitive sacralization will take place with a rite of blood before two villages gathered together. Many are carried by young women over their heads in ceremonies mainly in the initiatic ones,

The Irans are kept in family sanctuaries and have the status of altar as is the case of this female statue representing a pregnant woman. Most of the Irans kept in sanctuaries are wrapped in cloths, mainly red. The figure features a female face with a long ringed neck characteristic of most of its altar statues. It is touched with a wooden hat and red cloth, similar to the male Irans, with a ribbon around it. The eyes are made of painted sheet. The whole body of the woman is reduced to her thick belly and small pointed breasts. This statue from the island of Uno, is hollow, is covered in cloth. These figures receive the cult of pregnant women. Old brown patina.

Further technical information
Width
56 cm
Attributed period
First third of the century XX or older

Details transcribed from the original catalogue; they are not a recent physical inspection.

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Guinea-Bissau. The country associated with the catalog is shown, not the current location of the piece.

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Attributions, dates and accounts come from the preserved catalogue. They do not constitute certification of authenticity or provenance. An object’s presence on this website does not mean it is available for sale.

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