A PAINTED WOOD AND METAL SHEET 'SEJEN' BIRD

A PAINTED WOOD AND METAL SHEET 'SEJEN' BIRD
A PAINTED WOOD AND METAL SHEET 'SEJEN' BIRD
Senufo

104 cm high

Provenance: Vittorio Bellini (1936-2009) collection.

The bird sculptures are connected with the secret societies Poro, which dealt with governing society, starting the youngest and acting as an intermediary with the ancestors and the Ancient Mother, one of the two main Senufo deities. The statues with birds served as protection, and were carried in procession during rites such as funerals. The long phallic beak seems to touch the belly, thus alluding to procreation.