Statue, Baulé, Côte d'Ivoire

The Baulé people of Côte d'Ivoire are renowned for producing some of the most refined and spiritually significant sculpture in West African art, including figures used in spiritual practices related to 'blolo' spirit spouses and nature spirits known as 'asye usu.' Their figurative statues are celebrated for their serene, idealized facial features, elaborate coiffures, and meticulous surface scarification that reflect Baulé aesthetic ideals of beauty and moral character. These works have been highly sought after in the international art market since the early twentieth century and are held in major museum collections worldwide.