Bidspirit auction | African Hand Carved Ebony Wood

African Hand Carved Ebony Wood Figural Sculpture in the Makonde Style - A vertical figural sculpture hand-carved from a single section of dense hardwood, likely ebony. The piece features two stylized human heads carved in high relief from the dark heartwood, positioned one above the other. The faces are characterized by serene expressions with closed eyes, broad noses, and full lips, finished to a high-sheen polish. Both heads display intricate, deeply incised hairstyles; the lower head features fine linear graining, while the upper head is adorned with a cross-shaped textured pattern on the crown and braided details. The sculpture utilizes the natural color contrast of the wood, with the carved figures rendered in the dark heartwood, while the reverse and base sections retain the original light-colored sapwood and natural bark. This style is associated with mid-to-late 20th-century East African artistic traditions, specifically the Makonde style of Tanzania and Mozambique. No maker's marks or signatures are visible on the base or body of the piece. Height: 19 inches The item is in excellent condition. Natural drying cracks, or checking, are visible in the raw sapwood and bark on the reverse, which is characteristic of the material. The polished carved surfaces show no significant chips or abrasions.