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THBPair of African Senufo Woman's Initiation Headdresses
Lot 47a
About Seller
Artemis Fine Arts
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,200 - $2,000
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Fine Arts
Aug 22, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-08-22 10:00:00
2025-08-22 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
View Full Catalog (452)
- Lot Description
West Africa, Ivory Coast, Senufo, ca. early 20th century CE. A pair of women's initiation headdresses, each carved from wood and featuring serrated crests, ear-like projections, and large crescent-shaped horns. The domed surfaces are covered with cowrie shells, and attached glass trade beads, cloth, and fiber. One includes a nude female figure carved in the round - symbolizing femininity, fertility, and spiritual transformation. White cowrie shells are encrusted into the surface of the wooden caps, and strands strung with blue and red beads and additional cowries fringe the lower edges, adding sound and movement during ceremonial use. A narrow, rectangular cloth cape extends down the back of each, sewn with cowrie shells arranged in linear designs. Both headdresses are mounted on custom wooden stands for dramatic presentation. Beads and shells are traditionally associated with wealth and protection, and the cow horns symbolize strength and a connection to ancestral forces. Size: 67" L x 10" W (170.2 cm x 25.4 cm); 71" H (180.3 cm) on included custom stand.
These headdresses were worn during rites of passage, particularly for girls entering womanhood, and their iconography also connects to agricultural symbolism - echoing the female figures found on planting staffs. The pairing of a female figure with a mask may also allude to fertility and ancestral duality. Rich in material and cultural complexity, these headdresses would have been central to performances marking a young initiate's transformation and acceptance into adult society. Exhibited at the Allen Memorial Art Museum and in the "Hands-On... Culture Shock!" program, they speak to the layered roles of gender, ritual, and symbolism in Senufo tradition.
Please note that the stands are oversized and will increase shipping costs; however, they can be removed prior to shipment if requested.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA; purchased from John J. Klejman early 1960s .
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
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#196440Old repair with metal staples to reattach the horn on one headdress. Losses to cowrie shells and fraying to fibers and strands of beads. Overall in excellent condition with strong visual presence on custom display stands. Please note that the stands will increase shipping costs; however, they can be removed prior to shipment if requested.Condition
- Shipping Info
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