A population of about 600,000, the Antandroy live as traditional nomadic cattle breeders in the southernmost part of the island of Madagascar, in the Androy region, or the ‘land of the thorns’ – an especially hot, dry desert-like stretch of xeric shrublands. What is known of the Antandroy in terms of artistic expression are large, rectangular and often colourfully painted burial sites installed with carved steles – not dissimilar to the well-known Aloalo steles of their neighbours, the Mahafaly. These are posts, often with a carved geometrical openwork as support and bearing on top a small platform standing onto which are Zebu cattle, figures and small, carved figural scenes from the life of the deceased – just as it is in the case of the present three figurines of the Antandroy:
1: A rather long grouping consisting of three figures. Stretched out in the middle is a person reclining, behind whom is a smaller, apparently supporting seated figure. Another small seated figure with an outstretched left arm is at the front. It is unknown what is represented by this highly realistically and very finely crafted grouping carved from hardwood (perhaps a birth scene). Height: c. 7 cm; width: c. 5 cm; length: 22 cm.
2: A sitting mother and a child holding onto her left side. Before her stands a pot which she plies with a spoon-like stick in her right hand (a cooking scene perhaps). Height: 15 cm, width: 8 cm; length: 12 cm.
3: A kneeling figure bending a rod with both hands. Looming in front of him from the ground up are four heights (a fire-kindling scene perhaps). Height: 11 cm. All four sculptures are stunningly realistic. Carved in very hard wood and dyed black. All have a very similar layer of light brown clay on their surface (possibly from having lain in water for a long time). Only the undersides bely the bare wood. All three interesting, exquisitely carved figures appear to be really old. Indication thereof are the many pieces broken off from the hard wood. Hardly anything has been written (so far) in the relevant literature about such figurines of the Antandroy. (ME)

Provenance:
Pursuant to information supplied by the consigner, an Austrian traveller, the present item was purchased directly in the territory of the Antandroy, in southern Madagascar.