Female Figure, Baule, Sakassou Workshop, Ivory Coast

Early 20th century
Wood and glass paste
55 cm

Provenance

Dalton Somaré, Milan
Private Collection, Gorgonzola

Baule art and spiritual systems

Baule anthropomorphic statues are mainly divided into two broad categories: figures connected with the asie usu, spirits of the bush invoked by diviners (komyen), and blolo bla or blolo bian figures, representations of spirit spouses belonging to a world parallel to that of human beings.

In the absence of certain data regarding the original context, the attribution of this sculpture remains open.

From a stylistic point of view, the work can be related to the group attributed to the so-called Master of Sikassou, known for the extraordinary quality of the plastic rendering and the fluidity of the volumes.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of Baule sculpture is the harmonious connection between the different parts of the body, which in this case reaches a particularly refined level.

Form and construction

The figure develops according to marked verticality, with a lightening of volumes that helps create a balance between stability and dynamic tension.

The slightly flexed legs suggest contained energy, while the overall posture maintains a formal composure consistent with Baule aesthetic canons.

Expression and feminine ideal

The work embodies a feminine ideal combining physical and moral qualities.

The care of the hairstyle, the elegance of the scarifications and the balance of the features express order, beauty and social status.

The figure appears as the image of an authoritative female member of the community, as mother and transmitter of traditional values.

Asymmetry and dynamism

One of the most original elements of Baule art is the so-called “controlled asymmetry”, the deviation from the perfect axiality typical of much African Sculpture.

In this case it appears in the slight torsion of the bust, the inclination of the face and the position of the legs, introducing a barely hinted yet perceptible sense of movement.