Sculpture - Wood - Baoulé - Ivory Coast

A Baule maternity sculpture, seated on a one-legged chair, block-shaped feet, strong legs decorated with wide bracelets, supporting a slender torso with a pointed navel and prominent scarification marks, hanging, tapering breasts, arms angled backward holding a child on the back, both upper arms with bangles, an oval, large head with a protruding mouth beneath a straight wide nose framed by almond eyes, further scarification marks of different form on neck and face, semi-circular ears, capped by striated three-parted fine grooved coiffure; brownish to reddish patina, traces of age and ritual use. Lit. : Wolfgang Jaenicke: Maternities West African Art.