Baule statue - Lot 61

Baule statue Ivory Coast Wood, fabric H. 46.5 cm The elegant harmony of this Baule effigy's volumes is matched by the finesse of its details. Beautifully curved, the semi-bent legs support a long, graceful bust, adorned with scarification marks in a variety of patterns. The imperceptible twisting of the body underscores the serenity of the face, whose perfect oval, tight features are also punctuated by traditional scarification marks. This female statue belongs to the corpus of blolo bla, the "husbands and wives of the afterlife", to whom the Baule devoted individual and family care. The very fine, nuanced patina, delicately cracked in places, bears witness to the age of this effigy and the attachment of its commissioner.