A rare Senufo bird sculpture, hand-carved from a single piece of wood and embellished with brass triangles and cloth. The Senufo of West Africa held that the hornbill was one of the first living creatures — a symbol of intelligence and vast knowledge.
Across Senufo villages, sculptures like this stand guard over the community. They are carried in procession during initiations and funeral rites, and occasionally worn on the head as a show of strength. This piece carries a striking brass-and-fabric façade.
Size: approx. 27cm wide; wingspan 73cm. Height 145cm to the top of the head, 152cm to the top of the wingspan.
