Urn with Carved Figural Base and (missing) Monkey Lid

Urn with Carved Figural Base and (missing) Monkey Lid

Africa

Senufo Culture

Ivory Coast, Korhogo area
Cote d'Ivoire

"The lid of this vessel was a monkey or a baboon, an animal that is well-known to West African cultures.
The urn shows relief carvings of birds and an antelope, and it is supported by a large figure that squats slightly and has a huge face that hangs down in the manner of a vulture. Rather than resembling a raptorial bird, however, the face of this sculpture resembles the Chi Wara figures of the Bamana, which combine the features of an antelope and a human, and the projections from its forehead resemble the stylized hairstyles seen on Senufo masks. As the Malinke, the Senufo, and the Bamana neighbor each other, this urn serves as a good example of the adoption of cultural practices and the stylistic sharing that typically takes place among neighboring African cultures."

Research by Tiffany Henson, 2011, Missouri State University student. Mentor: Dr. Billie Follensbee

20th cent. (before 1985)

20th

Urn: 82 cm h. x 23 cm w. x 30 cm d.

sculpture

wood

carving

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Stoneman

1985.26

1985

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