A seated male Baule sculpture

Estimated price  600 - 700 €

A seated male Baule sculpture, region Bouaké, collected in the village Brobo, Ivory Coast. Glossy patina, signs of ritual use and age.

Such sculptures are most often associated with the Baule’s waka sran tradition—translated as "people of wood"—and served a range of ritual and spiritual purposes. While many figures represent blolo bian or blolo bla (spirit spouses of the otherworld), seated male figures frequently occupy a different category: that of commemorative or portrait figures. These are believed to embody the spirit or essence of a deceased ancestor or esteemed elder. They may have been consulted for guidance, involved in divinatory practices, or used as intercessors between the human and spirit worlds. The act of seating, in Baule iconography, connotes authority, status, and a spiritual presence rooted in both the visible and invisible realms.
The sculptural canon of the Baule emphasizes symmetry, proportion, and surface refinement, hallmarks that reflect both aesthetic and cosmological values. The rounded musculature, elongated limbs, and tightly coiled posture convey controlled strength. The figure's anatomical balance and harmonious composition are central to its function as a spiritually resonant object, meant to host a presence rather than merely represent a form.
European collections began to acquire such works in the early decades of the 20th century, often through colonial intermediaries or expatriate traders. In the context of Western art history, Baule sculpture was admired by modernist artists and collectors for its abstraction, elegance, and spiritual resonance—attributes that were frequently removed from their original meanings and ritual contexts. Today, the ethical implications of their acquisition and display are undergoing reassessment, with growing attention to provenance and the agency of African artists and communities.

Lit.: Susan M. Vogel, Baule: African Art, Western Eyes (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997).
Monni Adams, “Baule Statuary from Côte d’Ivoire: A Reconsideration,” African Arts 10, no. 3 (1977): 36–44. Alfred G. Schroeder, The Sacred and the Beautiful in Baule Art (Abidjan: Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1984).

Height: 41 cm
Weight: 1,3 kg