A mother elephant shelters two calves beneath her in "Mother and Children," the three carved as one from a single piece of ebony, so the bond between them is literal: they cannot be separated.
Elephants hold great cultural importance across Africa. In African fables they are the wise leaders who settle debates among the forest animals, and jewelry made from elephant hair is worn to ward off evil spirits. A trunk pointed upward is a sign of good luck, and both calves in this piece raise theirs.
