Serpentine
What would be the Shona Art without "the
Serpentine stone" ?
Springstone
Opal-stone
It is the main material used by the sculptors
in Zimbabwe. The
"serpentine stone" can be black, yellow or green.
The "serpentine" is
persistent and compact. However rather, it is easy to work
with.
In Zimbabwe you find a lot of varieties of
"serpentine" among which the following :
- Steatite,
a very tender many coloured stone.
- Cobalt-stone,
a veined purple harder stone.
- Fruit-stone, a veined green
harder stone.
- Opal-stone, either very hard
or very tender, green light and orange.
- Springstone, the hardest of
all "serpentine stones". It is brown or black.
The Zimbabwean artists nearly always work the
"serpentine" by hand.
It is first rough-hewed, then carved, sanded and polished.
It is necessary to finish the Work by applying to it a hot patina.
Most Shona Masters sculpt their Work while
thinking of the person who is going to acquire it..
Thus, the mind of the Master will accompany with the new owner across
time and space...
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