African Lady
Medium
SculptureMaterial
StoneDescription
This serene female head, carved from brown verdite, was acquired in Harare in the 1990s and reflects a sculptural language that remains deeply rooted in Shona stone tradition. With her calm gaze and dignified posture, the work embodies the Shona ideal of womanhood: strength expressed through quiet presence, resilience carried with grace.
The textured hair and elongated neck are not merely formal choices but symbols of identity, maturity, and continuity. In Shona culture, women are guardians of family, memory, and spiritual balance, and this sculpture honours that role without dramatization or excess. The artist allows the natural character of the stone to speak, working in harmony with its weight, colour, and density.
Such busts were, and still are, typical of Shona art—timeless forms that bridge generations. Created decades ago, the work remains relevant today, standing as a testament to the enduring values, aesthetics, and spiritual grounding of Zimbabwean stone sculpture.Try it!
