Staff c. 19th century

This wooden staff was created by an artist from the Pende culture. The sculpture embodies a sophisticated understanding of form, where the figure and base combine to suggest a narrative. The figure surmounts the cylindrical staff with a marked shift in texture and visual language. The human form is rendered with smooth surfaces, emphasizing rounded features. The figure's hands clasped at the abdomen create a focal point, drawing attention to the smooth, tactile quality of the carved wood. Beneath the feet, geometric patterns incised into the staff create a contrast between naturalistic representation and abstract design. This use of geometry grounds the figure and integrates it into the symbolic language of the base. The staff is a unified composition where the artist demonstrates a mastery of material and form, creating an object that invites contemplation of its visual and cultural codes. As a visual object, it represents the dynamic interplay between representation and abstraction.