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HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Anyi, Attye, Lagoons Region : Lagoons Region Sculpture of a Standing Woman
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Lagoons Region Sculpture of a Standing Woman - PF.5908
Origin: Eastern Ivory Coast
Circa: 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
11.5" (29.2cm) high
x 3.125" (7.9cm) wide
Collection: African
Medium: Wood
Additional Information: closet AF10
$1,200.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
This sculpture appears to be related to Baule
works representing spouses from the spiritual
world, called Blolo Bla (Blolo Blian if masculine).
Baule people believed that every person has such
a spouse. It manifests itself through a series of
dreams, usually sexual in nature, and is believed
to be responsible for practical and spiritual
problems that arise in the life of that individual.
Once carved under the direction of a village
diviner, the statue is kept in the person’s room
and is offered food.
She stands in a characteristic pose, resting both
her hands on her belly next to the notable
protruding navel. Her legs are spread apart with
her knees slightly bent. Raised decorative
scarification is prevalent, especially along her
back, shoulders, and breasts, on the sides of her
neck, and on her temples and forehead. These
scars are marks of beauty that distinguish her
rank in society. Her facial features, especially
her
arching brows that merge into a T-shaped nose,
are also characteristic of the regional style. The
figure wears an elaborate coiffure that has been
braided into three central crests crowning her
visage. Remnants of paint suggest that a
painted cloth once hung around her waist,
covering her sexuality. Although her genitals
may be unelaborated, the sculpture has
exaggerated her firm breasts and erect nipples in
order to suggest the spiritual fertility of the
work. This sculpture is a representation of the
idealized form of spiritual femininity and beauty
that reveals the cultural links between the Baule
tribe and their Eastern neighbors.
- (PF.5908)
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