Lobi Figure of Cat with Bird in Mouth

Slender legs, a curling tail, and a face with a very sharp point.

Lobi metalworkers of Burkina Faso, West Africa, cast this figure of a cat with a bird in its mouth in bronze in the 20th century. Small animal figures in the region are commonly associated with personal charms and with the spirits of the bush. The long-bodied animal stands on four straight legs, its tail curls up in a tight spiral, and the head is angled with pointed ears. The surface is dark brown, glossy where handled, with a thin, wiry look.

About 3.8 inches long. Predatory, stylized, and perfectly at ease on a shelf.