A small round bronze container with a lid, made by Senufo casters in Ivory Coast. A single figure crouches at the centre of the lid, both hands drawn in towards the belly.

1. Form and Decoration

The body is a low, wide cylinder with a flat lid that fits over its rim. Two bands of closely set zigzag lines run around the upper wall and a third follows the base. Between them, a smooth field carries a small disc of concentric circles. The lid repeats the idea: fine ornamental rings circle its edge and frame the plain centre from which the figure rises.

The figure is cast in the round. It is a female figure with small breasts, a long narrow face with closed eyes, and a coiffure ending in a small knob at the crown. Its knees are bent and its elbows point outward, with the hands meeting at the abdomen. Its proportions are elongated and its surfaces clean.

2. Context

The collection catalogue stresses the quality of the objects produced by Senufo casters and notes that such ornately designed containers carry a ritual background, while also conveying a certain prestige to the outside.

3. Surface

The bronze has a dark brown patina with lighter, greenish traces in the recesses of the ornament. A reddish streak runs down one side of the wall, and a thin seam is visible where the lid meets the body.

Summary

A small cast container whose lid carries a crouching figure, combining ritual background and prestige in one compact bronze.