Sipho soapstone sculpture

A woman carved from a single piece of soapstone, standing with her hands on her hips and caught mid-turn. Her shape changes as you move around her, so she’s lovely somewhere you can see her from every side.

The skin is polished smooth and dark against the rough, pale dress and hair. She stands 24 cm tall and 10 cm across, and weighs 2 kg. Sipho means gift in Ndebele.

Sipho is carved by a craftsperson in Zimbabwe who works alone, using stone found near his home.

Each figure is a single piece of stone, with nothing joined or glued. He carves the rough shape first, then the folds of the dress and the hair, and finally the skin, which he sands and polishes to a smooth, darker finish. The polished areas are then waxed.

Dust with a dry cloth, or a slightly damp one when it needs more. Soapstone scratches easily, so lift it rather than sliding it, and keep it away from grit. The shine on the polished skin comes from wax: avoid detergent and hot water, and re-wax those areas about once a year.