Skip to Content
Shop
Search
About
Contact
VS Blog
Versacrum Studio
Login Account
0
0
Shop
Search
About
Contact
VS Blog
Versacrum Studio
Login Account
0
0
Shop
Search
About
Contact
VS Blog
Login Account
Shop Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People) Image 1 of 8
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People) Image 2 of 8
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People) Image 3 of 8
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People) Image 4 of 8
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People) Image 5 of 8
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People) Image 6 of 8
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People) Image 7 of 8
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People) Image 8 of 8
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)
Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)

Vintage Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People)

$625.00
sold out

Early 20th Century Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People). Patinated hand carved Biiga doll with incised geometric designa throughout. In good condition with wear and patina throughout. Please refer to photos for details.

Size: 11.5”H x 2.5”W x 3”D

Provenance: Estate of Professor Gould. Professor of Chinese Art History at Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence College, Professor Philip Gould was a passionate collector of African Art, and curated numerous museum and gallery exhibitions from his personal collection.

Crafted from a single piece of wood by the village carver or smith, biiga are presented to young Mossi girls as toys. The dolls are cylindrical in shape with a semi-circular head, which sometimes features a downward extension out of the forehead. Although it may look like an elephant trunk or even a phallus, it is said to imitate the hairstyle worn by unmarried Mossi girls. Etches in the wood symbolize scarification marks and the beauty of adulthood, while the full mature breasts depict the splendor of motherhood. The girls are taught to take exceptional care of their dolls. They wash, feed and carry them around like a mother would her child. The dolls are sometimes dressed in leather clothes and decorated with cowry shells and beads.

Get notified by email when this product is in stock.
Add To Cart

Early 20th Century Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People). Patinated hand carved Biiga doll with incised geometric designa throughout. In good condition with wear and patina throughout. Please refer to photos for details.

Size: 11.5”H x 2.5”W x 3”D

Provenance: Estate of Professor Gould. Professor of Chinese Art History at Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence College, Professor Philip Gould was a passionate collector of African Art, and curated numerous museum and gallery exhibitions from his personal collection.

Crafted from a single piece of wood by the village carver or smith, biiga are presented to young Mossi girls as toys. The dolls are cylindrical in shape with a semi-circular head, which sometimes features a downward extension out of the forehead. Although it may look like an elephant trunk or even a phallus, it is said to imitate the hairstyle worn by unmarried Mossi girls. Etches in the wood symbolize scarification marks and the beauty of adulthood, while the full mature breasts depict the splendor of motherhood. The girls are taught to take exceptional care of their dolls. They wash, feed and carry them around like a mother would her child. The dolls are sometimes dressed in leather clothes and decorated with cowry shells and beads.

Early 20th Century Burkina Faso Hand Carved Wood Biiga Doll (Mossi People). Patinated hand carved Biiga doll with incised geometric designa throughout. In good condition with wear and patina throughout. Please refer to photos for details.

Size: 11.5”H x 2.5”W x 3”D

Provenance: Estate of Professor Gould. Professor of Chinese Art History at Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence College, Professor Philip Gould was a passionate collector of African Art, and curated numerous museum and gallery exhibitions from his personal collection.

Crafted from a single piece of wood by the village carver or smith, biiga are presented to young Mossi girls as toys. The dolls are cylindrical in shape with a semi-circular head, which sometimes features a downward extension out of the forehead. Although it may look like an elephant trunk or even a phallus, it is said to imitate the hairstyle worn by unmarried Mossi girls. Etches in the wood symbolize scarification marks and the beauty of adulthood, while the full mature breasts depict the splendor of motherhood. The girls are taught to take exceptional care of their dolls. They wash, feed and carry them around like a mother would her child. The dolls are sometimes dressed in leather clothes and decorated with cowry shells and beads.

You Might Also Like

Vintage Mata Ortiz Polychrome Spiral Vessel with Droplet Neck by Yoly Ledesma 38E767F7-F12C-44E3-A205-F03EA2025F44.jpeg 279B1CC7-1897-42F6-9AEB-D057D14BB80A.jpeg D3EED2E0-3EE9-4C20-84DA-6C9B1311F240.jpeg 57967F3A-4186-4E11-B886-8F18E8BCF594.jpeg
Vintage Mata Ortiz Polychrome Spiral Vessel with Droplet Neck by Yoly Ledesma
$275.00
sold out
C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888 C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888 C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888 C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888 C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888 C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888 C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888 C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888 C25CEF2F-A8CD-4389-BE93-9E2EC0C2E888
Rare 19th C. Chip Carved Tramp Art Box with Draped Detailing
$685.00
sold out
A82BE50B-4672-42AA-9DC4-90F434F1CC0A A82BE50B-4672-42AA-9DC4-90F434F1CC0A A82BE50B-4672-42AA-9DC4-90F434F1CC0A A82BE50B-4672-42AA-9DC4-90F434F1CC0A A82BE50B-4672-42AA-9DC4-90F434F1CC0A
Richard Hood (1910-1995) - Folk Art Horse and Carriage with Graveyard, Signed (Mixed Media on Board)
$470.00
sold out
Antique Stormy Marshland Landscape, Signed (Pastel on Paper) 01CE71C3-1A74-47F1-A4EE-F7423401A10D.png 882A21F3-6204-4CDD-8129-46288CCCA8F4.jpeg 99673943-7DCC-4A19-9997-4EBAC495E988.png 8717D715-44C8-48AE-8083-F1F3831CE4DD.png 604DF318-64A5-4E36-90EB-1E8455CBD78D.png
Antique Stormy Marshland Landscape, Signed (Pastel on Paper)
$315.00
sold out
Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes
Antique Late 19th Century Miniature Swiss Brass Bells with Oil Landscapes
$300.00
sold out