reserved for Kevin HORNBILL WOOD SCULPTURE - from SUEZYT

WOOD SCULPTURE OF RARE SENUFO HORNBILL

STANDING 65CMS TALL, DEPTH 21CMS AND WIDTH 18CMS.  WEIGHT 2 KILOS

WITH TO BE EXPECTED AGE RELATED WEAR

THE MORPHOLOGY OF THESE RARE STATUES REFERENCES

BOTH MALE AND FEMALE CHARACTERISTICS, WITH THE SWOLLEN,

PREGNANT BELLY, AND THE ELONGATED PHALLIC BEAK

THE TEETH ARE SERRATED

SENUFO PEOPLE, NORTHERN IVORY COAST/MALI LIVE FROM AGRICULTURE. 

THEIR ART CONSISTS IN MASKS AND SCULPTURES.  THE CALAO MYTHICAL BIRD

IS VERY IMPORTANT IN SENUFO'S ICONOGRAPHY.

HORNBILLS ARE NOBLE BIRDS WHO MATE FOR LIFE, SHARING EQUALLY IN THE

RAISING OF THEIR YOUNG WHO THEY PROTECT,

THUS THEY TEND TO BE DEPICTED IN THEIR ERECT, PROTECTIVE STANCE.

IN INITIATION CEREMONIES A SENUFO BIRD IS A HAT WORN BY MEN,

USUALLY HOLLOWED OUT UNDERNEATH TO FIT LIKE A CAP. 

HOWEVER, AS WITH THIS SCULPTURE, MANY OF THE BIRDS STAND

ON A CYLINDRICAL BASE DESIGNED TO REST UPON THE GROUND

THIS SCULPTURE OF A LARGE ABSTRACT BIRD WITH AN EQUALLY LARGE BEAK

CURVED INTO ITS OWN BELLY WITH SMALL SQUARES PUNCTURED IN THE BELLY

AND ALSO DECORATED WITH SMALL SQUARES ON THE BACKSIDE IS MADE OF DARK WOOD.

STANDING 65CMS TALL, DEPTH 21CMS AND WIDTH 18CMS.  WEIGHT 2 KILOS

OF INTEREST, ACCORDING TO SENUFO BELIEFS, THE HORNBILL, ALONG WITH THE TORTOISE,

THE CROCDILE AND THE SERPENT - WAS ONE OF THE FIRST LIVING CREATURES.

NOTE THAT THE SENUFO HORNBILL IS STANDING ON A BASE SCULPTURED AS A TORTOISE!