95 - Sculptural helmet or ceremonial headdress of the Senufo people. Ivory Coast, 20th century.

Sculptural helmet or ceremonial headdress of the Senufo people. Ivory Coast, 20th century. Carved wood. Measurements: 60 x 11 x 13 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. A sculptural piece linked to the artistic tradition of the Senufo people, who are primarily settled in Ivory Coast, as well as in regions of Mali and Burkina Faso. The work depicts a stylized anthropomorphic figure, characterized by its elongated proportions, its marked geometric form, and a formal conception that combines the naturalism of the facial features with the abstraction of the body. Notable features include the head crowned by two vertical extensions, the almond-shaped eyes, the extraordinarily developed neck, and the treatment of the torso through ring-like volumes, which lend rhythm and verticality to the composition. Senufo sculpture is distinguished by its close connection to spiritual beliefs, initiation rites, and community ceremonies, especially those related to the Poro society, a fundamental institution in the religious and social organization of this people. Within this tradition, anthropomorphic representations and sculptural headdresses could serve symbolic and ceremonial functions, acting as vehicles for communication with the spiritual world.