Rhythm Pounder
This slender, composed female figure reflects an artist’s break with tradition in a changing market. The abstracted face and ornamented body present an iconic beauty, while the fashionable hairstyle dates to the 1930s–50s. The sculptor has punctuated the lines of the body with cascading forms—the sharply pointed chin is echoed in the breasts, stomach, and knees. This masterful abstraction is a hallmark of early-twentieth-century sculpture in northern Côte d’Ivoire, but the thin, curving arms that support the woman’s breasts are an unusual gesture. In profile, the woman’s arms amplify the curvature of her hips; from the front, they emphasize the delicate dimensions of her waist.
In the 1950s, artists in Côte d’Ivoire faced changing demands in the art market. Sculptures like this one—previously commissioned as rhythm pounders used to strike the earth during processions by men’s societies that trained youths and celebrated major community events—were abandoned in some areas in response to a new religious movement from Mali. International interest, always a part of the art market, increased as art dealers began exporting sculpture for clients in Europe and the United States. It is unclear whether the artist who created this sculpture was inspired by his own imagination or sought to attract international patrons through his inventive design. Purchased by Helene Kamer (now Leloup) and her husband between 1958 and 1962 from a Mr. Coulibaly, an art dealer in Abidjan whose first name the Kamers did not record, the sculpture was likely made for an international market. If the sculptor were in contact with dealers like Coulibaly, he may have had a chance to see art from other cultures in West Africa. It is possible that he was looking at Yoruba art from Nigeria, for example, where women are commonly depicted with hands to their breasts in a gesture of welcome or nurturing.
The sculpture was included in the first show in the United States to feature Senufo art, held at the unfortunately-named Museum of Primitive Art in New York in 1963. As part of the exhibition, the sculpture became an ambassador of Senufo aesthetics, its interpretation changing as it changed location.
NOTES:
[1] They lent this to the exhibition "Senufo Sculpture from West Africa" (Museum of Primitive Art, New York; Art Institute of Chicago; Baltimore Museum of Art, 1963), cat. 57A.