This mask was carved in the style of a firespitter from the Senufo people of Ivory Coast. This polka dot decorated mask features an open mouth expression with large teeth and ears protruding from the top. The mask measures 19 tall and weighs 4 pounds. There is some damage to the tusk like figures coming out of the sides of the mouth, and cracks and scrapes throughout – please inspect photos. This piece does not come with a stand.
Senufo Firespitter Headcrest Mask 19″ – Ivory Coast – African Tribal Art
Original price was: $150.00.$75.00Current price is: $75.00.
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Type of Object | Headcrest |
---|---|
Ethnicity | Senufo |
Country of Origin | Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) |
Material | Wood, Pigment |
Approximate Age | Unknown |
Animal | |
Height (Inches) | 19" |
Width (Inches) | 8" |
Depth (Inches) | 9.5" |
Weight (Pounds) | 4 lbs |
Overall Condition | Missing tips to tusks, cracking, scrapes and scuffs – see photos |
Tribe Information
About the Senufo People
“Scattered across the Ivory Coast, Mali and Burkina Faso, the million and a half Senufo tribespeople live principally off the fruits of agriculture and occasionally hunting. They inhabit villages governed by a council of elders, who in turn are led be a chief elected from their number. Tribal cohesion is reinforced through the rituals of the Poro society who initiate and educate the men from the age of seven onwards. Senufo theology is based on Koulotiolo, a powerful god, and Katieleo, a goddess mother, who through the rituals of the Poro society, regenerates the world.
The Senufo were among the first tribal artists to be admired by the Western world. Their artistic output has been prolific – statues and masks characterized by realistic features or highly geometric shapes which emphasize rhythm and the opposition between void and full spaces.”