Fertility Doll – Wood, Beads – Mossi – Burkina Faso

A very traditional styled Mossi Biga fertility doll, The doll displays the characteristics of an adult woman, with suggestions of facial features and elaborate hairstyles, and usually with mature female breasts that represent the fulfillment of motherhood. Scarification patterns on the body that traditionally mark passage to adulthood are also represented by carved patterns. Mossi dolls are typically carved by male blacksmiths and are given to girls for play. The child calls it biga (“child”), and carries the doll about with her, tucking it into the waistband of her skirt, and pretends to feed, wash and groom it.

Provenance: Manfred Schäfer collection, ex- gallery owner from Ulm, Germany.