Totemic Wooden Sculpture, Italy, 1990s

Totemic Wooden Sculpture, Italy, 1990s

A large oval body, edged with scalloped openings, rises to a pointed, bird-like head set with a single round eye. At the centre, a carved grille of small rods and a fine, ladder-like detail give the front a lively, textured rhythm, and red touches appear inside the openings and along the cut edges. The body is made of smooth planks in warm, glowing brown, while the head is lighter and more textured, with a golden, matte surface. The sculpture stands on two slender legs with small feet, which gives it an upright, frontal stance close to that of a figure or a bird. From the side, the head leans forward in a gentle curve and gives the piece a quiet sense of movement.