Bidspirit auction | Baga Female Dance Staff (Guinea)-Mid-20th

Baga Female Dance Staff (Guinea)-Mid-20th Century - A striking carved and polychromed wooden dance staff from the Baga people of coastal Guinea, West Africa. The figure depicts a kneeling woman with elaborate coiffure and braided fiber hair, mounted atop a stylized fish form, an image often symbolizing fertility and the vital connection between women, water, and abundance in Baga ritual art. The body is painted in traditional red and black pigments, with raised breasts and detailed scarification marks, while the neck is adorned with multiple carved rings suggesting jewelry or status. The lower portion ends in a cylindrical handle for attachment to a staff or ceremonial base. Carved hardwood with natural fiber and pigment decoration. 20 in. H, 11 in. L, 6½ in. W. Condition: Expected surface wear, small chip losses to base and minor age cracks.