This Senufo stool, from the Ivory Coast, features four slightly curved legs supporting a flat top and bottom. Craved from a single piece of wood, its simple yet sturdy design reflects the functional aesthetic of Senufo aesthetic. The stool serves both practical and decorative purposes within traditional Senufo households.
 
The Senufo people are an ethnic group primarily found in the Ivory Coast, as well as parts of Mali and Burkina Faso. Known for their esteemed culture, the Senufo are deeply rooted in agriculture, cultivating crops like millet, yams, and maize. Their art, particularly in wood carving, plays an important role in their society, with stools often holding ceremonial or symbolic meaning. These stools reflect the ingenuity of the Senufo people.
 
The Senufo are organized into clans with a strong focus on communal life and respect for elders. Their society is influenced by traditional beliefs and practices, with rituals and ceremonies centered around themes of fertility, protection, and ancestral veneration. The craftsmanship of the Senufo people, seen in their stools and other objects, represents a long history of artisanship passed down through generations.