This male Senufo Deble

This male Senufo *Deble* figure combines monumental austerity with a distinctly linear aesthetic characteristic of the northern workshop traditions of the Tengréla region. Standing on a conical base, the figure is posed with slightly flexed knees, while the angled arms - palms facing the torso - adopt a controlled, ritually charged posture. The absence of feet allows the body to emerge directly from the base, reinforcing the impression of a self-contained, statuesque form.

The vertical composition is defined by a towering, pointed crest - reminiscent of a Mohawk hairstyle - the shape of which is echoed in the prominent chin. Applied round ears, double rows of perforations in front of the ears, and incised radiating lines extending from the corners of the mouth create a rhythmic pattern across the face. Closed eyes set beneath strong brows - which transition seamlessly into pronounced cheekbones - lend the figure a contemplative expression. The long neck leads to a powerfully arched chest; armbands and upper-arm ornaments underscore the figure's ceremonial significance. Fine incisions on the chest, flanks, and back, along with a cruciform radiating motif surrounding the knob-like navel, articulate the body's form. A hip band frames the carefully carved male genitalia.

This sculpture belongs to the category of Senufo *Deble* - large-scale ancestral figures associated with the Poro society that were erected in sacred groves. They embody venerated ancestors and served as intermediaries between the community, the ancestors, and spiritual forces. The deep, lustrous patina of use on the arms and neck - accompanied by cracks and signs of abrasion - attests to a long history of ritual use and confirms the figure's cultic nature.

Selected Bibliography
Glaze, Anita J.: Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1981.
Fischer, Eberhard: Senufo: Art and Identity in West Africa. Museum Rietberg, Zurich, 1987.
Goldwater, Robert: Senufo Sculpture from West Africa. The Museum of Primitive Art, New York, 1964.
Himmelheber, Hans: Negro Art and Negro Artists. Klinkhardt & Biermann, Braunschweig, 1960.
Cole, Herbert M.; Ross, Doran H.: The Arts of Ghana. University of California, Los Angeles, 1977.

MAZ17255

Informant Bakari Bouaflé

Height:  133 cm 
Weight: 8,7 kg (incl. Stand