A Senufo female figure

standing on wedge-shaped feet  parted, faceted legs leading to the abdomen with diamond-shaped navel, the spherical head demurely downcast with a heart-shaped facial plane, heavy-lidded eyes and geometric lips and nose framed by C-shaped ears; '541' on the underside; reddish brown patina with areas of kaolin at the face and darker encrustion at the feet.

Lehuard 1978: 19

Statues of this size may be divination figures, tugubele (Förster and Homberger 1988: 80-90).

The spareness and minimalism of the Brill figure reveals the qualities of great Senufo statuary and evinces, together with its demure facial expression, a sense of humility and modesty.

Most Senufo diviners receive their training as members of sandogo, a powerful women's organization responsible for maintaining good relationships with the spirit world. However, only a few are selected to become sandobele, or master diviners.

The divination technique used by Sandobele depends on close interaction with the madebele, the spirits. 'Diviners make a special effort to attract the madebele by seducing them with a work environment of outstanding aesthetic appeal, the centerpiece of which is a pair of figurines (tugubele) representing an idealized image of them. The divination ritual is initiated when the diviner calls up the madebele, who reside within the figurines while being interrogated' (LaGamma 2000: 24).