Tilman Riemenschneider,
Virgin and Child on the Crescent Moon, 1495
A soft wood with a close, uniform grain, lime wood carves easily and lends itself well to Tilman's style. Mary stands in a gentle, informal S curve, as though she might move at any second. The infant Jesus is even more animated, and his body twists in a spiral motion.
Spirit Spouse, from Ivory Coast, Baule early 20th century
A formal pose and an impassive face are used to express the dignity of an otherworldly being. Baule belief holds that each person has, in addition to an earthly spouse, a spirit spouse in the Other World. If this spirit spouse is happy, all is well. But an unhappy or jealous spirit spouse may cause trouble in one's life. A remedy is to give the spirit spouse a presence in this world by commissioning a statue called a "person of the wood". The statue is made as beautiful as possible to encourage the spirit to take up residence within it, and it is placed in a household shrine and tended to with gifts and small offerings.
The similarities between the two is that both represent a spirit of life. The difference is that Tilman focuses more on a idol that is known more throughout the world than a culture of belief.
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