Senufo people, Ivory Coast: Musicians with Balafon (African Marimba) Late 19thh Century, circa 1885. Wood, fiber, pigment.


Regionally, the Senufo are famous as musicians and carvers of highly-stylized wood sculpture.



The art of Senufo people inspired twentieth-century European artists such as Pablo Picasso and Fernand Léger, who owned Senufo masks and used their abstract features for the basis of Cubism.



Senufo art has become a category for art collectors and scholars, a symbol of the artistic traditions of West Africa. Old pieces of Senufo art are found in many leading museums of the world.

This piece will be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
Dimensions: 12.75" x 9" x 9"
Provenance: Private collection, Massachusetts; Private collection, Ivory Coast.

Good aged condition with patina of libations and signs of handling. Minor cracking as is common with dessicated wood. There is an old repair on the right-most mallet, which is bound in fiber.
NOTE: If documentation is not listed, the lot is sold without documents.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions prior to bidding. Color fidelity of photos presented is not guaranteed. Lack of a condition statement does not imply that a lot is perfect. Please examine photos, read descriptions, and contact the Gallery with any questions prior to bidding. All sales are final.