"Nobody likes to live without beautiful things," replied a Guro weaver when asked why he hung a decoratively carved pulley on his wooden post loom set up beneath a mango tree. The decorative features of West African heddle pulleys -- devices that hold the heddles in looms -- are created solely for aesthetic satisfaction, and have no ritual or magical purpose. The delicately carved figure on the pulley peers down at the weaver as he works and becomes his constant visual companion. The formal composition of these small pieces shows great virtuosity and variation: the artists strive for originality, ingenuity, elegance, and imaginative effects.
Naturalistic faces occur rarely on pulleys. Instead, carvers draw upon a wide repertoire of facial styles that appear on other spiritual statues and masks. This heddle pulley takes on the form of a gorgeous young woman. Here face is drastically elongated emphasizing the lines of her jaw. Her elegant coiffure, masterfully carved, has been elegantly styled into one long braid that fall into a point in the back, echoing the forms of her face. The beauty of this woman is overwhelming from the decorative scars under her eyes to the coral beaded necklace she wears, a symbol of her high-ranking status along with her coiffure. Overall, this stunning pulley shows the delicacy, smoothness of finish, and skillful composition that are prized by African carvers.