Senufo Figural Ladle on Custom Base Côte d'Ivoire

The Senufo are the dominant culture in Cote d'Ivoire, and their territory also extends across the border into Mali. The Senufo carve numerous male and female figures in a variety of positions, as well as many remarkable masks. Most adhere rather strictly to a known set of proportions, but some can be quite abstract. It is thought that many Senufo artworks are produced by "professional" carvers known to the village, and this accounts for the rather standardized "look" found in the majority of their figural objects.