Senufo Standing Power Figure

Hands clasped over the belly, a horned crest on his head.

Senufo carvers of the Ivory Coast, West Africa, made this standing power figure in wood in the 20th century. Figures of this kind are commonly associated with protection and spiritual power. He stands on a round base with legs apart, arms folded to his stomach, and a crest of two peaks on his head. The face is flat and angular. The wood is a smooth, warm brown with a dark, rubbed patina.

About nine inches tall. A stern little guard of the shelf.