OUR COLLECTION — AFRICA — ZIMBABWE 208. SHONA STONE MADONNA & CHILD
This Madonna and Child sculpture is hand-carved by a third-generation Shona sculptor, S. Mutoti, from Harare, Zimbabwe. The Shona tribes of Zimbabwe, literally translated as “the house of stone,” are considered by many to be among the world’s finest sculptors. The stone is called fruit serpentine because of its mottled appearance. The stone’s color in this carving is speckled with orange and brown and black. Mutoti achieved contrast in the stone by polishing part of the stone to resemble opal, while leaving the rest of the stone natural and finishing it with rough chisel pointing. The carving measures 15.25 inches tall by 5.25. inches wide.
The stone sculptors of Zimbabwe use different types of rock. Serpentine is overwhelmingly the stone of choice. Fruit Serpentine is a beautifully colored stone, with deep veins of variated strata. Fruit Serpentine has a rating of 4.0-5.0 on Mohs hardness scale, so it is one of the hardest stones found in Zimbabwe.
The purchase of this item provided funds for AIDS projects in Zimbabwe. This country is also currently hit with staggering economic conditions--in 2007, inflation in Zimbabwe exceeds 8,000% and unemployment exceeds 75%.
The basic tenant of the Shona people is ukama, which means "live together and the culture will thrive." The spirits of the Shona ancestors come to them in their dreams to reveal the images that dwell within the rock. After quarrying the rock with pickax and pry bar, the sculptors use handmade tools to release the spirits trapped within. Consequently, the artists call the carvings ‘creations.’ The Christian theme of this carving is consistent with the strong Pentecostal religion prevalent in Zimbabwe.
The stone sculptors of Zimbabwe use different types of rock. Serpentine is overwhelmingly the stone of choice. Fruit Serpentine is a beautifully colored stone, with deep veins of variated strata. Fruit Serpentine has a rating of 4.0-5.0 on Mohs hardness scale, so it is one of the hardest stones found in Zimbabwe.
The purchase of this item provided funds for AIDS projects in Zimbabwe. This country is also currently hit with staggering economic conditions--in 2007, inflation in Zimbabwe exceeds 8,000% and unemployment exceeds 75%.
The basic tenant of the Shona people is ukama, which means "live together and the culture will thrive." The spirits of the Shona ancestors come to them in their dreams to reveal the images that dwell within the rock. After quarrying the rock with pickax and pry bar, the sculptors use handmade tools to release the spirits trapped within. Consequently, the artists call the carvings ‘creations.’ The Christian theme of this carving is consistent with the strong Pentecostal religion prevalent in Zimbabwe.