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Senufo. <em>Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)</em>, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_view02_edited_SL1.jpg)
Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_view02_edited_SL1.jpg)
Senufo. <em>Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)</em>, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_view02_edited_SL1.jpg)

Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_view02_edited_SL1.jpg)

Senufo. <em>Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)</em>, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_SL1.jpg)

Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_SL1.jpg)

Senufo. <em>Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)</em>, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.74.214_print_front_bw.jpg)

Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.74.214_print_front_bw.jpg)

Senufo. <em>Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)</em>, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.74.214_print_threequarter2_bw.jpg)

Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.74.214_print_threequarter2_bw.jpg)

Senufo. <em>Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)</em>, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.74.214_print_side_bw.jpg)

Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.74.214_print_side_bw.jpg)

Senufo. <em>Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)</em>, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.74.214_print_threequarter1_bw.jpg)

Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.74.214_print_threequarter1_bw.jpg)

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Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)

Arts of Africa

The Senufo are well known for their elegant sculpture, which is often associated with the Poro, important men's and women's religious society. These figures, often ornamented by body scarification, elaborate coiffures, and jewelry, represent idealized female beauty. This object, called a deble, was used at Poro festivities, such as initiations and funerals. Deble are held by their upper arms and pounded on the ground to mark a rhythm for dancers. The worn arms on this piece show it was used repeatedly.

CULTURE Senufo
MEDIUM Wood
  • Place Made: Korhogo region, Côte d'Ivoire
    • DATES late 19th or early 20th century
    DIMENSIONS 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Arts of Africa
    ACCESSION NUMBER 74.214
    CREDIT LINE Gift of Rosemary and George Lois
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Wooden female figure with short legs and feet sunk into a heavy cylindrical base. Hands rest on thighs. Dark surface with a smooth and polished patina; the arm area, by which the figure is held when in use is a lighter color from wear. The figure wears a pendant necklace, one bracelet on each wrist, and one arm ring on each upper arm. There are incised straight lines on cheeks, on upper portion of each breast, and on abdomen which is pointed. The face is flat and heart shaped with heavy lidded eyes and a notched mouth. There is a notched v shaped band decorating the forehead. The ears are flat discs and she has a hair-crest with slightly upward turned braid at the forehead. CONDITION: Crack on left side of the head extending from top of hair crest to neck. Two checks on left side of torso in under arm area to waist. Check on lower part of left arm. Crack on left side of cylindrical base from left leg to bottom of base. Some checking on right side of hair crest. Top of hair crest has been nicked. Figure is mounted on a modern black metal stand.
    EXHIBITIONS
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Senufo. Rhythm Pounder (Siibele), late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_view02_edited_SL1.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 74.214_view02_edited_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2014
    "CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
    You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
    RECORD COMPLETENESS
    Not every record you will find here is complete. More information is available for some works than for others, and some entries have been updated more recently. Records are frequently reviewed and revised, and we welcome any additional information you might have.
    Senufo. <em>Rhythm Pounder (Siibele)</em>, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, 40 1/2 x 6 x 6 1/2 in. (102.9 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Rosemary and George Lois, 74.214. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 74.214_view02_edited_SL1.jpg)

    TAGS

    idol
    drummer
    drum
    wood
    musician
    statue
    sculpture
    figure
    Deble
    Senufo
    Poro Society
    Rhythm Pounder
    Feminine Beauty
    African
    rythm pounder
    female
    carved
    incised
    Initiations
    Funerals
    Ceremonies
    ivory coast
    feminine

    TAGS

    idol
    drummer
    drum
    wood
    musician
    statue
    sculpture
    figure
    Deble
    Senufo
    Poro Society
    Rhythm Pounder
    Feminine Beauty
    African
    rythm pounder
    female
    carved
    incised
    Initiations
    Funerals
    Ceremonies
    ivory coast
    feminine

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