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Catalog Data

Maker:
Senufo artist  Search this
Medium:
Wood, paint
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 184 x 78.5 x 55 cm (72 7/16 x 30 7/8 x 21 5/8 in.)
Type:
Figure
Geography:
Côte d'Ivoire
Date:
Late 19th to mid-20th century
Label Text:
This statue is a symbol of the authority of Poro society elders and is associated with initiation. The large beak resembles the hornbill, one of the animals the Senufo associate with the creation of the world. The bird's behavior is a model for male and female family relationships, further suggested by the swollen belly of the bird.
Despite its large size, the statue may be supported or carried on the head in certain ceremonies. Originally this piece was painted offering further symbolic messages.
Description:
Wood figure of a hornbill bird with rectangular outstretched wings and a curved beak touching the projecting stomach.
Provenance:
Paul and Ruth Tishman, New York, before 1964 to 1984
Exhibition History:
Artful Animals, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., July 1, 2009-July 25, 2010
For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1981
Sculpture of Black Africa: The Paul Tishman Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, October 16, 1968-January 5, 1969; The High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, August 31-November 1, 1970; University of Texas College of Fine Arts, Austin; City Art Museum, St. Louis, August 20-October 17, 1971; Des Moines Art Center; Huntington Galleries, Huntington, WV
Masterpieces of African Art: Tishman Collection, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1967
Arts connus et arts méconnus de l'Afrique noire, Collection Paul Tishman, Musee de l'Homme, Paris, 1966
Published References:
Arts connus et arts méconnus de l'Afrique noire, Collection Paul Tishman. 1966. Paris: Musee de l'Homme, no. 46.
Balandier, Georges and Jacques Maquet (eds). 1968. Dictionnaire des Civilisations Africaines. Paris: Fernand Hazan, p. 138, no. 388.
Goldwater, Robert. 1964. Senufo Sculpture from West Africa. Greenwich: New York Graphic Society, no. 150.
Muze'on Yisra'el. 1967. Masterpieces of African Art: Tishman Collection. Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, no. 32.
Robbins, Warren. 1966. African Art in American Collections. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, pp. 102-103, no. 107.
Roberts, Allen F. 1995. Animals in African Art. Munich: Prestel; New York: Museum for African Art, p. 126, no. 39.
Sieber, Roy and Arnold Rubin. 1968. Sculpture of Black Africa: The Paul Tishman Collection. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, p. 38, no. 27.
Vogel, Susan (ed). 1981. For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, pp. 36-37, no. 17.
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
Topic:
Initiation  Search this
hornbill  Search this
male  Search this
Credit Line:
Gift of Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company
Object number:
2005-6-48
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys771624b88-4617-4a6e-bab3-a9cf1460fc0d
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_2005-6-48