Lobi Depiction of Serpent Protector

A snake, flattened into a long S, with a head that comes to a point.

This depiction of serpent protector is Lobi, from Burkina Faso, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is bronze. Lobi people are known for metalwork and for figures made for use within the household, and snakes in West African art generally relate to protection and power. A long ribbon-like serpent twists in a wavy line, covered in fine crosshatching. At the top, a triangular head with two round eyes sits above a narrow neck, and the tail ends in a tapering spike. It stands on a thin metal base. It is 1.5 inches wide and 13.5 high.

Slender and sinuous, with nothing to prove.