The
Baule peoples are from the Ivory Coast in West Africa.
They have a tradition of making wooden, male and female,
spouse figures from the 'other world.'
The Baule believe everyone has such an other world spouse, and
believe they must be taken care of in our world.
When people have sexually explicit dreams or have problems in
the daily life the Baule believe the Blolo Bla is rsponsible.
The blolo bla-wife & blolo bian-husband spirits are
powered by a diviner who is asked by the other world lover or spirit to make it
visible to this world.
The aspect is choosen by the client, the diviner, or the
spirit itself.
To become alive the Baule figure gets an initial sacrificial
offering , it receives food ( like an egg) and gifts that are placed in front
of the wooden figure by the client or ritual specialist.
The Baule carving must get complete attention by the
owner minimum one day a week to speak and play with it one night
without the presence of their living spouse.
Baule Spouse figures are hidden and are not
often seen outside the family house .
This fine example represents a male figure with
a very small penis and a small beard more and small breasts.
These
figures wore a loin cloth to cover the crotch (see '
Africa: The Art of a Continent (African Art) 
~ Tom Phillips one of the best african art shows in history, this catalogues
shows pieces from all around Africa ', Tom
Phillips, ed., Prestel, 1995, page 451, fig. 5.117, for a similar, male
example). Scarification on the chest, under
the torso, neck, and back, probably duplicates those found on a living
person, since these details gives the idealized Baule figures a special
personality.
Patina shows a thick, black-brown, shiny 'skin'
(Kahan, in "Surfaces", Indiana Univ. Press, 2009) achieved with
offerings of organic pigment and plant mixtures.
The glossy look is a result of rubbing the
figure over the body of the owner.
Click thumbs to enlarge
Early 1940's , nice size C. 48cm or 18.90"
H (figure only). The figure is in excellent condition minus a little insect hole
in the neck. Please note: this figure is attached on a wooden base.
Provenance: ex- Belgian private collection.
Price: not available
Are
you interested in this Baule figure ? Click to request availability and send me an
email
see also some African objects
+32
3 227.35.40
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David Norden at NYC Tribal Art Show 2012 in May