Statue Of The Senoufo Deble, Ivory Coast

Exceptional Deble Senoufo statue, height 1.25 m, used condition. This type of statue was intended for the funerals of important members of the "Poro" society and carried in procession by the initiates who swing them slowly from one side to the other, striking the ground from time to time to respond to the horns and drums, hence their designation as rhythm pounders. This is the female one. I have already put the male one up for sale, they come from the same collector, and you should know that they were always used in pairs. It is old, must date from the beginning of the last century, note the wear on the arms and torso which are the places where the dancers hold them, superb patina of use, a little greasy. The elongated and curved shapes make it look like a large insect, a sort of cubist praying mantis, a rare object in this antiquity and quality.