Senufo Effigy of Seated Couple

A couple sits close, one arm across a shoulder, and nobody looks bored.

Senufo carvers of the Ivory Coast, West Africa, made this effigy of a seated couple in wood in the 20th century. Paired male and female figures are widely associated with Senufo ideas of ancestry, balance and human partnership. The two sit side by side on a shared bench, the man with a raised crest, the woman with a pointed cap. His arm rests behind her shoulder. Long arms and legs are carved with simple lines. The dark wood is polished and slightly worn.

About eleven and a half inches tall. A good pair to share a bookshelf.