Mahafaly post, Madagascar - Lot 147

Mahafaly post, Madagascar H. 97 cm Provenance : Collected in the mid-20th century, private collection. If the imprint of time has erased the features of her face and more deeply marked the veins in her eroded hardwood, the influence of this feminine sculpture, this Mahafaly pole, is undeniably evident through the fluidity of its moving forms. The strength of its dreamlike presence is matched by its symbolic value. It embodies a hymn to life laid beside the tombs. Imbued with a quiet yet dynamic power, it is one of the most sensitive and poetic expressions of African statuary. Funerary art, an emblematic creation of Malagasy civilization, first appeared in west-central Madagascar in the 17th century, at the birth of the Sakalava kingdom. The sculptor's gesture mediates the sacred. These funerary posts were dedicated to the sacred cult of the dead, and symbolized the passage to the other world. As community life was intimately linked to the deceased ancestors, the funeral enclosure was worthy of very special attention, as it was the key point of confluence between the physical and spiritual worlds. Between Tulear and Ampanihy, Mahalafy tombs are large stone edifices built at man-height. The posts were placed at the edge of the tomb, mainly adorning princely tombs, where rituals were held in memory of the deceased's life. Thus positioned, they contributed to the rebirth of the deceased in the world of ancestors in the afterlife, embodying the "process from life to death, when the elder is reincarnated as an ancestor" (Borgatti, 1990, p. 49). This effigy is a symbol of reincarnation and rebirth, and is a life force for the dead. Delicacy and power are intertwined and can be seen in her gestures, with her hands concealing her breasts, and her points firmly folded against her bust. Intense poise rendered by the slight withdrawal of angular shoulders, arms detached from the rest of the body, in contrast to the soft curve of her hips and the delicacy of her legs. A moving beauty.