Baoulé Monkey - Côte d'Ivoire

Origin. Ivory Coast
Tribe name. Baoulé
Material. Wood
Dimension. 50 cm
Shipping method. Colissimo within 24-48h open

This decorative wood sculpture represents Baoulé art from Ivory Coast, more precisely an anthropomorphic zoomorphic figure often associated with the cult of the Mbra.
Here is a detailed description of the piece:
Characteristics Morphological
The Head: The piece features a hybrid head, blending human and simian (monkey) features. The jaw is prognathous, widely open, revealing teeth cut in a geometric and aggressive manner.
The Posture: The figure is depicted standing on a circular base. It adopts a slightly bent position, with muscular legs and the torso inclined forward.
The Ritual Object: The figure holds between its two hands a cup or cylindrical vessel at chest height. In the Baoulé ritual context, this receptacle was often used to receive offerings or sacrificial blood.
Stylistic and Material Analysis
Anatomical details: There is notable attention paid to the protruding navel and the male sex, symbolizing lineage and vital force. The ears are stylized in the shape of a "C".
Cultural Meaning
This piece seems to represent the Gbekre (or Mbotumbo), the "cynocephalic monkey" who judges the dead or acts as an assistant of justice. Unlike Blolo Bian statues (husbands of the afterlife) which are smooth and refined, these monkey figures are deliberately rough and frightening, because they house powerful and potentially dangerous protective spirits used for divination or village protection.