Sculpture Shona Standing Woman Butter Jade (?) Abstract

Description

This special lady weighs in at a modest 7.2 pounds and measures 16x4x3 inches. I am listing the stone as Butter Jade though with hundreds of varieties of stone available to and employed by Shona carvers I am open to informed correction. The (unnamed) sculptor has skillfully used the stone to combine finished (face, neck, arms) and 'unfinished' but accented presentation which brings life and posture to the figure resulting in a delicate mix of abstract and realistic which certainly makes her stand out from the crowd.
The size features will require special and careful packaging for shipment to assure safe and undamaged delivery. This is a highly unusual piece in terms of stone, skill and vision. The Shona believe it to be their task to release the 'spirit' inherent to the stone, the (sadly) unnamed sculptor has responded to the challenge admirably. She Walks In Beauty, a poem of Lord Byron, seems to express her mystique.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.