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African statue Senoufo Horserider stylised figure , Ivory Coast C 1950s

About the Item

Statue of a rider on his mount from among the Senufo tribe settled in the north of Côte d'Ivoire. Carved from dense wood. beautiful patina. The statue has a custom made acrylic base. Provenance: Swedish private collection from the 70's. Then inherited within the family. SENOUFO equestrian figure. Ivory Coast. Wooden sculpture with a light brown patina of a remarkable "Cubist" stylization and a surprising modernism. The rider stands stiff and arched on his mount, his head raised in the shape of a cone, his arms in the shape of a butterfly. The horse's head flattened, upright, the legs welded into two flat blocks. Perfect mastery of the sculptor in the harmonization of volumes. Necklaces of Corie shell and raphia beads around the neck of the horse. Among the Sénoufo, as among their neighbors the Gouro or the Yaouré, statues of horsemen have been carved in order to venerate and keep in memory some chiefs or illustrious ancestors within the group. The Sénoufo country is at the limit of disease areas affecting horses, the main one being sleeping sickness carried by a fly. The Senufo having difficulty raising this animal were further penalized by the raids of their northern Malinké neighbors who stole what was left of their meager herds. Thus, in the northern part of the Senufo country, owning a horse was a sign of power and wealth, depending on the rarity of the animal and the difficulty of keeping it. The horseman statue was not an object of worship, but rather a sign of reverence towards a notable. It was also not shown, but was part of a set of objects that were part of the sacred grove teaching to evoke a former dignitary. The figures of riders, generally small in size, represent exclusively men, with the exception of an amazon which is said to be an allegory of the mother of Samory. According to legend, she was a seasoned warrior amazon, yet well regarded by Senufo people who hated Samory, but nevertheless supported him.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 10.24 in (26 cm)Width: 13.78 in (35 cm)Depth: 4.73 in (12 cm)
  • Style:
    Tribal (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Acrylic,Carbon Fiber,Raffia,Shell,Wood
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1950
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Paris, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU7883235659322

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