Standing 44 cm tall, this Senufo male figure embodies the spiritual guardianship and ancestral presence central to Senufo tradition. Such figures often stood watch in shrines, believed to mediate between the living and the ancestors.
But this particular piece carries an extra layer of history. It once belonged to Margaret Füsbahn, one of the first women to fly to Africa in the 1930s. A pioneer of the skies, she journeyed where few dared, and in her travels she formed a collection of objects that spoke to her sense of discovery. Read a French article : cette-pionnière-suisse-de-l-aviation-a-voyagé-tout-autour-du-monde
or one in German : Pionierin der Lüfte Mit Schnaps im Gepäck bis nach Kamerun
When you hold this Senufo figure in your hands, you don’t just feel the artistry of the Senufo carver — you also touch the adventurous spirit of a woman who helped open the world.
More images and details: https://buyafricanantiques.com/product/senufo-standing-male-figure-ex-margaret-fusbahn-collection/