Lot #103: Pair of Marble Hand Carved African Tribal Busts Black Art

Museum quality vintage hand-carved African tribal busts, specifically matching style details often found in South African and Zimbabwean hardstone portraiture. While most traditional African stone carvings use softer materials like soapstone or serpentine, high-end artisans from the mid-to-late 20th century frequently utilized locally sourced African marble variations (such as verdite-veined marble or Transvaal marble) for premium gallery pieces. Traditional pairings like this typically represent a stylized tribal elder or chief alongside a matriarch, distinguished by her intricate, high-coiled traditional braided hairstyle and ceremonial necklace. Marble is a metamorphic rock that allows for crisp, fine detailing. The artist intentionally left the hair, beard, and base unpolished to create a rough, textured contrast against the smoothly sanded, satin-finish skin. Man - 13.75” high x 5” wide x 6.5” deep. Woman - 16” high x 5” x 7.5 “ deep. Weight man - 8.2 kg, woman - 8.1 kg. Dimensions: See description Pickup category timeslot {A}