73 - DEBLE OR DOOGELE STATUE - Southern Mali, Northern Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso - Senufo

DEBLE OR DOOGELE STATUE - Southern Mali, Northern Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso - Senufo First half of the 20th century. Wood, with dark and light patina in places. Dimensions: 109 cm. An imposing female statue standing with her hands placed at belly level. The head, topped with a headdress shaped like a sagittal crest, is elongated. Cultural scarifications are present on the forehead and at the corners of the mouth. These marks are also found on the body, particularly on the chest, shoulders, and upper back. The semi-circular outline of the eyelids, suggesting closed eyes, continues to form the long, slender nose above a slightly parted mouth. The cylindrical neck surmounts a slender body. The legs end in a broad cylindrical block resembling a stake. This statue may have served as a post placed near a shelter or, as a mallet statue, it may have been used to strike the ground during ceremonies. Research and Documentation: Coryse Mwape – Art historian specializing in ancient African art. Expert: Coryse Mwape Internal Ref.: 189