Zigiren-wöndë (young bride) headdress

late 19th–first half of 20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

Among the Baga tributes to female power and beauty is zigiren-wöndë, who portrays an ideal spouse in the bloom of youthful motherhood. Her depiction features full breasts and lustrous black skin. Signs of her cultivated refinement include braided hair, markings under her eyes, rings around her neck, and brass adornments on her forehead, eyes, and between her breasts. Commissioned by community elders, this headdress was performed by young men at initiations and wakes. On such occasions, a full-length costume of cloth and raffia affixed below the sculpture’s breasts concealed the dancer, who held the sculpture aloft by its legs. The brisk choreography involved swaying back and forth, darting left and right, and running in a circle to the sound of drums and iron gongs.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Zigiren-wöndë (young bride) headdress
Artist: Baga artist
Date: late 19th–first half of 20th century
Geography: Guinea, Niger River region
Culture: Baga peoples
Medium: Wood, metal
Dimensions: H. 30 13/16 in. × W. 8 in. × D. 8 in. (78.3 × 20.3 × 20.3 cm)
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.238
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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