Standing female figure with elaborate hairstyle

Title: Standing Female Figure with Elaborate Hairstyle
Material: Wood with a natural brown patina
Cultural Origin: Senufo People, Ivory Coast (West Africa)
Estimated Date: 19th–first half of the 20th century (a common typology in Senufo production of the period)
Dimensions: h. 45 x 12 x 10 cm
Iconography and Symbolism: Ancient Mother (Katyeleeo): In the Senufo tradition, the female figure symbolizes the Ancient Mother, a deity of fertility, protection, and the continuation of the matrilineal line. Kunoodyaadye – “mother’s navel”: The carvings around the navel in Senufo sculpture recall this symbolic motif, which alludes to birth and the ancestral bond.