Figure - Wood - Baoulé - Ivory Coast

Provenance: - Private collection UK A Baule person would have recognized this figure as a waka sran, a "person in wood. " For the Baule, every successful sculpted figure necessarily conveys a sense of individuality, as in the approbation "o fa sran! "--"it resembles a person! " Whether carved to represent one's otherworld mate--the "otherworld woman" (blolo bla) of a man, or the "otherworld man" (blolo bian) of a woman--or a bush-spirit familiar, the sculpted Baule figure is a stand-in interlocutor for an unseen spirit. A Baule man probably commissioned this female figure as a portrayal of his otherworld woman, following the instructions of a diviner and his revelation that the particular problem the man faced stemmed from the jealousy of his neglected mate in the otherworld. To picture her identity and also to ultimately please her, the sculptor set out to carve a person of beauty as perceived by Baule notions of attractiveness. She is depicted with serenity and composure: her flexed legs, her hands at rest on her abdomen, her downward gaze--all impart a sense of a person who is still, quiet and potentially responsive. Her beauty is revealed in her ample calves, her rounded buttocks, the swelling curve of her abdomen, the fullness and potential of her pelvic circle (accentuated by hip beads) , her high breasts, her long elegant neck, and the symmetry and perfection of her facial features. Shipping via Royal Mail (unless requested otherwise) within 24hrs after payment is received. Tracking number will be provided. Signature upon delivery. Fully insured.