A sculpted face emerges from the smooth surface of steatite, a soft stone also known as soapstone . The green patina with golden highlights captures the light and accentuates the contrast between the polished surface and the rough contours. This unique piece, created in Ecuador, combines the strength of the mineral with the delicacy of the artisan's touch.
The very elongated face of this pre-Columbian style sculpture is fixed by a thin copper rod to a black soapstone base.
Soapstone is a soft metamorphic rock composed largely of talc. Easy to carve, it allows artisans to create precise shapes with simple tools. Its smooth texture and soapy feel make it a unique stone, prized since antiquity. In Egypt, it was fashioned into scarabs and seals. In China and India, it was used for ornaments and utensils. Among the Inuit, Native Americans, and Scandinavian peoples, it has been worked for over 7,500 years to make ritual objects and everyday tools.
Even today, soapstone is prized for its natural beauty and its ability to withstand the test of time.
Touch: very soft
Total height: 19 cm
Sculpture length: 11.5 cm
Depth: 5.5 cm
Material: soapstone - green steatite
Origin: Ecuador
