Baule Seated Female Figure With Children Côte d'Ivoire

This finely carved female figure originates from the Baule people of Côte d'Ivoire, a group renowned for their exceptional wood carving skills. Baule sculpture is traditionally divided into two distinct categories: one representing asie usu, or wild spirits, which inhabit the forests beyond the village, and the other embodying 'spirit world' spouses, serving as spiritual partners for their owners. While asie usu figures are associated with bush spirits, they are often portrayed with an aesthetic allure, reflecting a balance between the spiritual and the physical. These sculptures were integral to the rituals of trance diviners, known as komien, who used them as vessels through which spirits could inhabit or symbolically reside.

Typically housed in private shrines within the diviner’s home, these figures acted as focal points for spiritual practice. The komien would perform rituals where they would enter a trance, allowing the spirit of the bush to possess them, thereby offering guidance or healing to those in need. In these sacred spaces, the carved figures were often accompanied by other shrine objects, which might include uncarved items with simple clay markings or vessels containing magical elements. These objects, along with the figure itself, played an essential role in the spiritual process, with their appearance reinforcing the connection between the human and spirit realms.

To enhance the otherworldly presence of these figures, they were traditionally covered in white clay, symbolizing their link to the spiritual world. The komien would perform public rituals, where the spirit might possess them in full view of the community, or offer more intimate counsel near their private shrine. The aesthetic qualities of the figure—its idealized beauty and polished form—were not merely artistic expressions but integral to its function as a conduit between the material world and the divine, reinforcing the spiritual potency attributed to Baule sculptures.

Height (In) 28.0
Width (In) 9.0
Depth (In) 10.0

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