Pair of Bronze Ritual Figures – Senufo – Côte d’Ivoire

Bronze. Height: 10.5 cm (4.13 in). Width: 7.0 cm (2.76 in). Weight: 187.4 g (6.61 oz).

A cast bronze double figure depicting a woman and a man, most likely ancestors. The elongated bodies, simplified facial features, and nodular articulation of the joints are characteristic of Senufo metalwork. Such paired figures are associated with ritual or symbolic contexts and are revered as intermediaries between the world of the living and the world of spirits..

The Senufo are an ethnolinguistic group living primarily in northern Côte d’Ivoire, southern Mali, and southwestern Burkina Faso. Their artistic production is closely connected to social structure, ritual life, and systems of knowledge, including divination and initiation practices. Senufo metal objects, often produced using the lost‑wax casting technique, are valued not only for their craftsmanship but also for their symbolic and ritual significance within the community.

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