A very early and important female Senufo figure, possibly northern Senufo, Ivory Coast.

19th century, wood, 52 cm high. This is a great example of a Senufo female ancestral figure. Although the Poro society is a male institution, the most important ancestor invoked is a woman. The head of the Poro chapter refers to the founding by matrilineage. the Senufo artists often rendered the female sculptures taller than their male companions, emphasizing the importance of women as matrices of life. Most elements are characteristic of the Senufo canon, like the elegant arms and elongated fingers, the stylised features, the prominent stance and the abstract breasts. (VJ)

Provenance:
1979, Bryce Holcomb, Alfie Scheinberg, New York.

Published:
'Die Kunst der Senufo: Museum Rietberg, Zürich, aus schweizer Sammlungen', Foster, Till, 1988; 'The Power of Form: African Art from the Horstmann Collection', 2002, by Ezio Bassani; 'Closeup: Lessons in the Art of Seeing African Sculpture' (from an American Collection and from the Horstmann Collection), Hardcover, April 1st, 1991, by Jerry L. Thompson.