A Yoruba carved wood maternity altarpiece
Late 19th/early 20th century; Nigeria, Africa
Label affixed to the underside: Altar Piece (Yoruba) / Acquired 12.29.81
The hand-carved statue of a woman and her child, likely a spiritual figure formerly placed in a shrine with activating medicines to ensure conception and healthy offspring
14.5" H x 5" W x 9.5" D
Provenance: Property of the American Broadcasting Company, New York
Walt Disney Co., Burbank, California, acquired by corporate merger with the above Private Collection, Los Angeles, California, acquired from the above

Other Notes: Maternity figures are among the most common sculptural types found in Africa, attesting to the critical importance of motherhood.

Overall good condition with scattered scuffs, scratches, nicks, shrinkage cracks, indentations, and separation at joints commensurate with age and use. The wood shows evidence of woodworm throughout. The latter half of the child's stylized hair is broken off and missing. Similarly, the right hand of the female figure has a loss, and the carved wood of the arm is completely separated from the hand. These typed of altar pieces often housed a shell mirror in the frame held by the female figure. This piece has only an empty frame, indicating the mirror component has likely been lost. Condition reports are offered as a courtesy and are typically published in Moran's catalogue or can be made available upon request. The absence of a condition report does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of others. Buyers are responsible for determining to their own satisfaction the true nature and condition of any lot prior to bidding. Though buyers are not legally required to inspect lots prior to purchase, failure to do so may constitute a waiver of complaint that an item was not delivered in a condition equal to the existent condition at the auction.