A Tsonga staff in the Baboon Master style

A Tsonga staff in the Baboon Master style
South Africa
the finial carved a standing baboon with a serene face, raised ears and a long tail, on a disc base and cylindrical shaft, with remains of scorched highlights,
79.5cm long.

The Baboon Master was a Tsonga carver who established a workshop near Pietermaritzburg or Durban (KwaZulu/Natal) at the end of the 19th century. He, along with his Zulu pupils produced a number of staffs with figurative finials, including single baboons, some with two male busts, single male and female figures, maternity figures (mother and child) and an elephant (cf. Kevin Conru, The Art of Southeast Africa, 2002, p. 97, pl. 41.)