Items Similar to 'Bird Chicken' original Shona stone sculpture signed by Samuel Likongwe
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 5
Samuel Likongwe'Bird Chicken' original Shona stone sculpture signed by Samuel Likongwe2002
2002
About the Item
'Bird Chicken' is an original opal serpentine sculpture signed by the Zimbbwean artist Samuel Likongwe. Based in Harare, Likongwe was trained in the Shona stone sculpting tradition and his style consistently shows a careful ordering of the nonuniformity of the stone. The chicken is constructed of rectilinear forms with right angles, but together the forms curve into the U-shape of the chicken's body. The use of texture of the bodies is ingenious, using a series of textured parallel lines to suggest the ruffle and regularity of well-preened feathers. At the same time, areas of the stone are left rough-hewn, emphasizing the material of the stone and its origins in the quarry. The overall effect, with this tension between the artist's genius and the stone material itself, reminds of the sculptures of Constantine Brancusi: 'The Kiss' (1907) likewise applies stylized figure to the rectilinear form of the stone block, which marked an important shift in Modern sculpture that still resonates with sculptors today.
opal stone (serpentine)
signed "Samuel Likongwe" on rear
mounted to a stone base
37 lbs
14.5 x 10 x 4.75 inches, sculpture
1 x 6.38 x 6.88 inches, base
15.5 x 10 x 6.88 inches, overall
Excellent overall condition with no signs of wear or damage
Shona artists and crafts people have been working in different media for generations. These include paintings, pottery, basket ware, wood carvings, and sculpture done in metal as well as the stone carvings. While there is not a long standing tradition of sculpture in what is now Zimbabwe (formerly Southern Rhodesia), stone carvings dating from the 15th century were seen in Great Zimbabwe, an excavated temple near Bulawayo. Most of the artifacts from this location have been moved to museums in Cape Town, South Africa or London.
It is generally agreed that Zimbabwean stone sculpture as seen today began during the late colonial period of the 1950's and 1960's. During this period the artists and artisans depicted many of the traditional Shona and other tribal spiritual myths.
Out of all the nations in Africa, the large varieties and abundant supplies of rock formations present throughout the Zimbabwe landscape provide artists with a medium for sculpture and carvings unique to their country. The Shona art sculpture of Zimbabwe combines the wonderful varieties presented by the stone with images drawn both from reality and abstract symbolism.
Much of the stone used by Shona artists is quarried in areas which are adjacent or quite near the villages where the work is created. Often the land on which the stone is found is owned by the village or the local artists. The artists use stone such as Serpentine (somewhat old, having been formed about 2.6 billion years ago), with more than 200 color variations. The hardest and darkest of the Serpentine varieties is black, commonly known as Springstone or Africa stone. Less seen is Lepidolite, with its beautiful pale mauve coloration; and the very hard Verdite, found mostly in darker shades of green but with other variations as well.
Commonly referred to as Rapoko stone in Zimbabwe, Steatite is a natural soft stone that falls under the general category of soapstone. Rapoko is found on every continent in the world with the possible exception of Antarctica. Its remarkable qualities have made this stone one of the most widely used minerals on earth. Over 10 million years old, Rapoko is a natural mineral, prized since ancient times for its durability, workability, beautiful character and ability to retain and radiate heat and resist chemicals. Native cultures, the world over, have carved Rapoko/Steatite into vessels, art objects, memorial and cultural items. Carved items have been found in the tombs of Pharaohs, in the igloos of the far north, in temples and palaces of China and India, in the mountains and river valleys of the Americas and the arid plains of Africa. There is a manmade ceramic product, also called Steatite, which uses the natural Rapoko stone as one of its raw materials but has no other connection to the skillful efforts of talented Shona and other African artists.
The wonderful natural character of stone is used both in its rough cut and textured state, or heated and burnished to a high gloss to reveal rich greens, browns, blacks and grays. The hardness, shape, density and quantity used of serpentine, verdite, sandstone, granite, steatite and other stones define the ultimate presentation of completed Shona art sculptures and carvings.
- Creator:
- Creation Year:2002
- Dimensions:Height: 15.5 in (39.37 cm)Width: 10 in (25.4 cm)Depth: 6.88 in (17.48 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Excellent overall condition with no signs of wear or damage.
- Gallery Location:Milwaukee, WI
- Reference Number:Seller: 11033g1stDibs: LU60537178992
About the Seller
4.9
Gold Seller
Premium sellers maintaining a 4.3+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 1966
1stDibs seller since 2017
431 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 2 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Milwaukee, WI
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View All'Protected by Spirits' original stone Shona sculpture by Marowa & Chideu
By Tendai Marowa & Stanley Chideu
Located in Milwaukee, WI
'Protected by Spirits' is an original springstone sculpture by the Zimbabwean artists Tendai Marowa and Stanley Chideu. The sculpture presents a tall and curving face with a ring-sha...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
'Father Christmas' original stone Shona sculpture by Marowa & Chideu
By Tendai Marowa & Stanley Chideu
Located in Milwaukee, WI
'Father Christmas,' an original springstone sculpture by the Zimbabwean artists Tendai Marowa and Stanley Chideu, would make an excellent holiday gift...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
'Honeymoon' original stone Shona sculpture by Marowa & Chideu
By Tendai Marowa & Stanley Chideu
Located in Milwaukee, WI
'Honeymoon' is an original springstone sculpture by the Zimbabwean artists Tendai Marowa and Stanley Chideu. The sculpture presents a tall and elegant figure. The figure is highly st...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
"Triplets (C-25), " Black Serpentine Stone Sculpture signed by Colleen Madamombe
By Colleen Madamombe
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Triplets (C-25)" is an original black serpentine sculpture by Colleen Madamombe. The artist signed the piece. This artwork features three women in large, textured dresses, gesturing and standing close to one another.
9 1/2" x 13" x 8" art
Colleen Madamombe was born in 1964 in Harare, Zimbabwe. Considered to be among the finest new talents from Zimbabwe, she has won the award of Best Female Artist of Zimbabwe for the past three consecutive years, and is quickly becoming an established figure of the Second Generation of Zimbabwean stone...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
'Playing Sisters' original Shona stone sculpture signed by Colleen Madamombe
By Colleen Madamombe
Located in Milwaukee, WI
'Playing Sisters' is an original black serpentine sculpture by the celebrated second generation Shona artist Colleen Madamombe. The sculpture presents a character common to Madamombe...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
'Stork Bird' original opal serpentine Shona sculpture signed by Jonathan Nhete
Located in Milwaukee, WI
'Stork Bird' is an original opal serpentine stone sculpture signed by the contemporary Zimbabwean artist Jonathan Nhete. The artist presents in this sculpture a highly abstracted figure of a bird, the long beak and eye of which emerges shining and polished from within a heroic almond-shaped loop formed by the bird's wings. Such abstracted forms recall traditional African sculpture as well as the work of modern masters like Constantin Brancusi who looked to non-Western sources for inspiration. The sculpture's surface is brought to a beautiful polish, allowing the green of the serpentine to create a glittering depth as immense as a lake or river.
opal serpentine
32 x 19 x 6 1/2 inches, sculpture
2.75 x 12 x 12 inches, concrete and marble base (included at request of buyer)
34 .75 x 19 x 12 inches, overall
85 lbs
signed "Nhete Jonathan" along bottom edge on reverse
with hole drilled in foot to accommodate 0.5-inch steel support rod
overall good condition; brown stain at base of bird neck; some minor scratches
Jonathan Nhete was born on November 16, 1972 into a family of 5 boys. He decided to explore in the art industry and was fascinated by the works made by a local artist Dudzai Mushawepwere...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
You May Also Like
Mujer Hincada
By CASTANEDA, FELIPE
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A sculpture by Felipe Castaneda. ""Mujer Hincada"" is a figurative sculpture, black onyx by Mexican contemporary artist Felipe Castaneda. The artwork is signed in the lower left, ""F...
Category
Late 20th Century Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Woman - XXI century Contemporary figurative bronze sculpture, Classical, Realism
By Ryszard Piotrowski
Located in Warsaw, PL
RYSZARD PIOTROWSKI (born in 1952) Sculptor. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. His works include intimate, small forms in marble, bronze and silver. He specializes...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Mujer con Guitarra
By CASTANEDA, FELIPE
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A sculpture by Felipe Castaneda. Mujer con Guitarra"" is a figurative sculpture, white and gray marble by Mexican contemporary artist Felipe Castaneda. The artwork is unsigned. Felip...
Category
Late 20th Century Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
"Scarecrow" Sculpture 24" x 22" x 4" inch Ed. of 99 by Huang Yulong
By Huang Yulong
Located in Culver City, CA
"Scarecrow" Sculpture 24" x 22" x 4" inch Ed. of 99 by Huang Yulong
Scarecrow/稻草人
Huang Yulong created his new work "Scarecrow" during the epidemic, trying to awaken the harmonious ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Concrete
"03:03" Bronze Sculpture 76" x 71" x 30" inch Edition of 8 by Huang Yulong
By Huang Yulong
Located in Culver City, CA
"03:03" Bronze Sculpture 76" x 71" x 30" inch Edition of 8 by Huang Yulong
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Huang Yulong was born in 1983 in Anhui Province, China. In 2007 he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in Jiangxi Province. As one of the new generation of Chinese artists and part of the ‘post-80s generation’ and ‘only child’ generation, Huang is strongly influenced by the phenomenon of foreign culture in China, which he combines with his fascination with pottery and the material world. Huang is best known for his sculptures of Buddhas in hoodies, displaying an exchange of Eastern tradition and Western contemporary style. He was selected by “Complex” as “25 Contemporary Chinese Artists You Need to Know” in 2013. His sculptures have been exhibited at Niubi Newbie Kids II, at Schoeni Gallery, Hong Kong; “Zeitgeist” Huang Yulong’s Solo Exhibition at Himalayas Art Museum, Shanghai, China; Chinese Artist / Marseille Artist at Marseilles, France; The 4th International Contemporary Art Exhibition at Gwangju Biennale Korea, Art Beijing Art...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Concrete
"The Pigeon" Abstract Red Granite Sculpture 10" x 14" x 5" inch by Eman Barakat
Located in Culver City, CA
"The Pigeon" Abstract Red Granite Sculpture 10" x 14" x 5" inch by Eman Barakat
Eman Barakat is an Egyptian Postwar & Contemporary artist who was born in 1988. Their work was featured in several exhibitions at key...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Abstract Sculptures
Materials
Granite
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Stone Signed Sculpture
Stone Bird
Modern Stone Sculpture On Base
1960s Modern Figurative Sculpture
Large Bird Sculptures
Quarry Stone
Bird On Stone
Wood Bird Sculpture
Rock And Mineral Sculpture
Stone Sculpture Chinese
Carved Bird Sculpture
Temple Stone
15th Century Stone Sculpture
Stone Artifacts
Ceramic Sculpture Birds
15th Century Wood Sculpture
Bird In A Rock
Brown Stone Bird