Rare Shona Sculpture by Claud Nyanhongo
This is a wonderful Shona Sculpture by first generation Zimbabwean Shona artist, Claud Nyanhongo. It is signed but undated. It likely dates from the early 1970s. Mr. Nyanhonga is perhaps the most famous of all early Shona artists and his work is sought after by collectors of African art as well as by modernist aficionados. Picasso and other early modernists were influenced by the art of Zimbabwe, in particular, Shona sculpture, and one can see it's influence in many modernist works.
This black serpentine carving is substantial in scale and weight and is expertly rendered. It measures about 15.5"h x 8"d x 5"w.
The piece is in very good condition with the only blemish being a ding on the back edge near the top (see last image). This cannot really be seen from the front.