334 - FEMALE PILON STATUE, DEBLE - Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast - Senufo

FEMALE PILON STATUE, DEBLE - Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast - Senufo Mid-20th century. Wood, patina, traces of pigments. Dimensions: H. 100 cm. The face is highly stylized and slender. The almond-shaped, half-closed eyes frame a straight, triangular nose. The mouth is slightly open, revealing parallel, linear lips. The top of the skull is crowned by a small sagittal crest or pointed bun. The ears are carved as semicircles on the sides. The cylindrical neck surmounts a slender torso; symbols of fertility are also evident in the scarification around the navel. The shoulders are angular and straight, with the arms hanging alongside the torso in a hieratic manner. The thick legs rest on a massive base. Condition: The base is abraded or cut—a characteristic of the bases of pestle statues that were used to pound the ground or have suffered erosion over time. Significant damage is visible at the lower part of the right thigh. Research and documentation: Coryse Mwape, art historian specializing in ancient African art. Internal ref.: 313