Baule Male Divination Figure, Ivory Coast #752

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  • Baule Male Divination Figure, Ivory Coast #752
  • A Male Baule, central Bouaké region, erect stature, short stout legs, long slender arms resting flat against the body, the hands touch the thighs, the surface of the body very fine, as if treated in copperplate work, on the front of the body symmetrical scarification marks, on the back asymmetrical, upper arm bracelets, drop-shaped face, mouth tapering to a small hollow, straight nose with an elegant curvature, the large eyes are closed and give the face a meditative, concentrated expression, the eyebrows extend beyond a semicircle and are connected in the middle by six small rectangular scarification marks, a chin beard and a very precisely worked hairstyle with a small braid at the upper back of the head complete the elegant appearance; shiny black surface.
  • Circa mid 20th Century
  • These figures, often carved as a Male and Female Counterparts, reflect and embody Baule ideals of civilized beauty. In Baule Society, Diviners commission such figures from artists to attract the attention of Asye Usu, or Nature Spirits. Asye Usu are considered to be grotesque and volatile beings associated with the untamed elements of Nature. The Spirits are seduced from the wilderness by the figures’ dazzling beauty and lured into inhabiting the sculptures, which embody the civilized values the Asye Usu lack and therefore find so desirable. The Asye Usu are then induced into sharing Spiritual Insights, conveyed through the medium of the Diviner.
  • Such figures are prominently displayed during Ritual Sessions with clients who seek clarification about their difficulties, which can range from poor harvests to physical illness. The presence of the sculptures and the sacrificial material applied to their feet (never to the smooth surfaces of their bodies), along with repeated striking of a gong, help to induce the trance state that allows the Diviner to communicate with the Asye Usu. The Diviner can then gain insights and revelations regarding the source of the client’s problems. The ownership of such extraordinary works also serves to further the professional standing of the Diviner, who must impress potential clients with the caliber 
  • 2006 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
  • "Baule culture is highly aestheticizing: people devote much attention and effort to creating a striking appearance in their persons and surroundings. Many ordinary objects are decorated, and undecorated things - tobacco leaves hung up to dry, or tomatoes set out for sale - are arranged with an eye for visual effect." - Susan M. Vogel, African Art Western Eyes, 1997, 82-83.
  • Measurements: 47 cm
  • Condition: Excellent. Hard heavy wood with a deep ebony patina.
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