Buhle soapstone sculpture

A woman standing with one hand raised to her hair and the other at her hip, carved from a single piece of soapstone. Her weight rests on one leg, so the long dress swings out at the hem and the whole figure leans into the turn. Put her where she can be seen from more than one side: the end of a shelf, a hall table, or a windowsill.

The skin is polished dark and smooth, while the dress and the hair are left rough and pale. She stands 24 cm tall, 10 cm across, and weighs 2 kg. Each figure is cut from its own block and finished by hand, so no two come out the same. Buhle is Ndebele for beauty.

The craftsperson works alone in Zimbabwe, carving stone he sources near his home. Each figure is one piece of stone, with nothing joined, glued, or added on. The rough shape comes first, then the folds of the dress and the hair, and last the skin, which he rubs down and polishes to achieve the smooth, darker finish. The polished areas are then waxed.

Dust it with a dry cloth, and keep it in a cool, dry area. Soapstone will scratch against anything harder than itself, so keep it clear of grit and lift it rather than sliding it across a surface. The sheen on the polished skin is wax, so keep detergent and hot water off it, and wax those areas again about once a year to bring it back.