Description: 1850s Bamana Nyeleni Female Figure with Brass EyesVery Old Mali African Tribal The figure is of a female with legs slightly bent and wearing a breechcloth in a brown yarn material part wool and part cotton.Early from the Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe figures are an idealization of youthful feminine beauty.The term nyeleni is derived from a traditional Bamana girls name and has multiple interpretations, including little one or little ornament.Nyeleni figures emphasize several distinctive characteristics, most notably, a rather geometrically derived form.They have prominent conical breasts that project sharply from a flattened chest and are counterbalanced by exaggerated buttocks that jut out behind the figure.The arms, legs, and torsos are highly cylindrical. Hairstyles vary but usually exhibit some variation on a crest like arrangement.The aesthetic beauty of such works is heightened by the addition of beads or metal accessories and oil, which is rubbed into the figure to produce a lustrous surface.These additions are comparable to the way young Bamana women prepare themselves for special occasions.The head is elongated with a narrow tuft of hair on the top of the head which descends to the back of the head and has incised lines.The ears are decorated and there are spaced holes around the ear ornaments with tufts of red fibers at the bottom of the ear ornament.The head is elongated, and the face is a cavity, the eyes are brass tacks, the nose is long and slender, and the mouth is a slit.The figure is wearing a necklace, the beads are large trade beads from an early period and were red at one time, there is a shine to some of the beads.The feet of the figure is on a square base.The narrow shoulders descend to thin, short arms.Bamana, West Africa now Mali, private East Coast, USA collection,Good antique condition with no major cracks or restorations.Item Size: Height 21 inch; Length 3.25 inch; Depth 4 inch Country or Region: Mali Returns and Damages All of our items are backed with a 30-day return policy. We ensure all our items are in good condition prior to shipping. In case you receive the item that is not to the standards listed above, please contact us via e-Bay messages. All returns must be in original condition as received and should be shipped with delivery confirmationPlease note that all returns must be pre-approved by us. Unauthorized returns will not be accepted. If you need to return, please check twice to confirm the item is not as described and contact our customer service representative, let us know the detailed problem and send us some pictures for confirmation.If the item shows damage after unboxing, photograph it and contact us right away or if box is damaged please photograph it for external damage. Damage claims after delivery without proof or photographs do not allow us to file for the claim with the trucking company. If a return is accepted and the item is as described there will be a 30% restocking fee before the refund or credit is given. This is to avoid buyers that purchase and item and change their mind after we have paid for the consignment. Contact UsEmail Customer Support:9:00am-7:00pm EST Monday-FridayAll emails will be responded to within 8 hours or sooner
Price: 245 USD
Location: Midlothian, Virginia
End Time: 2024-09-26T14:05:55.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 14 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Color: Dark Wood Tone
Original/Reproduction: Original
Material: Wood
Tribe: Bamana
