Statue Bateba - Lobi - Mali
07
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00
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€ 1
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Description from the seller
Burkina Faso
Lobi
Wood
Height: 385mm
Width: 285mm
Depth: 90mm
Weight: 960g
This anthropomorphic wooden statuette from West Africa. Through its linear formal treatment, its geometric volumes and the unique structure of its pedestal, it belongs to Lobi art (a people settled at the borders of Burkina Faso, Ghana and northern Côte d'Ivoire).
Called Bateba, this sculpture is not a simple decorative representation or a direct ancestor, but an intermediate being carved to embody and materialize a bush spirit, the Thil (plural Thila).
1. Morphological and stylistic analysis highlighting the characteristics of Lobi statuary:
Face treatment: The head is voluminous, oval and smooth, suspended on a sturdy cylindrical neck. The eyes are sculpted in a prominent almond shape (in relief “coffee bean”), topped by brows marked here by traces of dark pigment. The nose is wide and straight, while the mouth, small and full, retains residues of black material (sacrificial matter or patina of use).
A hieratic and condensed anatomy: The female figure shows conical firm breasts, projected forward. The arms are carved parallel to the torso, in a rigid and straight manner, ending in simplified hands that hug the flanks. The abdomen is slightly rounded, evoking lineage and fertility.
Pedestal on an integrated base: The most typical element lies in the lower part. Short, massive legs are bent and seem anchored in a circular monoxyl base. A form of loincloth or rigid buttock block structures the junction between the lower back and the thighs.
Condition of the wood and patina: The wood shows a light patina, matte and dried, sprinkled with natural desiccation cracks (notably on the skull and back). This is the result of prolonged exposure to open air or to interior shrines subjected to the contrasting climates of the sub-Saharan savanna.
2. Ritual use: The Bateba and the family altar
Among the Lobi, society has no centralized chiefs; social order and protection are governed by the Thila spirits through the prescriptions of a diviner (Thildar).
Incarnation on demand: The Bateba is never carved at random. When an individual or a family undergoes a crisis (illness, infertility, poor harvests), the diviner identifies which spirit requires a statue to be raised for it. The sculptor then fashions the object so that it serves as a “body” or receptacle for this entity.
The guardian of the altar (Thilduu): Once sanctified, the 38 cm statuette was placed on the domestic altar, located in the darkest room of the earth house (soukhala). It received ritual offerings (mil beer, animal blood, porridges) placed directly on its head or base to activate its protective power.
3. Spiritual meaning: An active shield
The word Bateba can be literally translated as “those who counter evil” or “the substitutes.” For the Lobi, these statues are endowed with a form of spiritual life:
A sentinel role: The figurine acts as a metaphysical lightning rod. It intercepts sorcery, drives away nocturnal evil spirits, and protects the inhabitants of the house from invisible attacks.
A bridge of communication: It serves as a direct medium to transmit the family’s prayers and sacrifices to the Thil spirit, ensuring balance, health, and survival of the human community in the face of the unpredictable forces of the bush.
Packages are sent from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in France in 1 to 3 days via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateBurkina Faso
Lobi
Wood
Height: 385mm
Width: 285mm
Depth: 90mm
Weight: 960g
This anthropomorphic wooden statuette from West Africa. Through its linear formal treatment, its geometric volumes and the unique structure of its pedestal, it belongs to Lobi art (a people settled at the borders of Burkina Faso, Ghana and northern Côte d'Ivoire).
Called Bateba, this sculpture is not a simple decorative representation or a direct ancestor, but an intermediate being carved to embody and materialize a bush spirit, the Thil (plural Thila).
1. Morphological and stylistic analysis highlighting the characteristics of Lobi statuary:
Face treatment: The head is voluminous, oval and smooth, suspended on a sturdy cylindrical neck. The eyes are sculpted in a prominent almond shape (in relief “coffee bean”), topped by brows marked here by traces of dark pigment. The nose is wide and straight, while the mouth, small and full, retains residues of black material (sacrificial matter or patina of use).
A hieratic and condensed anatomy: The female figure shows conical firm breasts, projected forward. The arms are carved parallel to the torso, in a rigid and straight manner, ending in simplified hands that hug the flanks. The abdomen is slightly rounded, evoking lineage and fertility.
Pedestal on an integrated base: The most typical element lies in the lower part. Short, massive legs are bent and seem anchored in a circular monoxyl base. A form of loincloth or rigid buttock block structures the junction between the lower back and the thighs.
Condition of the wood and patina: The wood shows a light patina, matte and dried, sprinkled with natural desiccation cracks (notably on the skull and back). This is the result of prolonged exposure to open air or to interior shrines subjected to the contrasting climates of the sub-Saharan savanna.
2. Ritual use: The Bateba and the family altar
Among the Lobi, society has no centralized chiefs; social order and protection are governed by the Thila spirits through the prescriptions of a diviner (Thildar).
Incarnation on demand: The Bateba is never carved at random. When an individual or a family undergoes a crisis (illness, infertility, poor harvests), the diviner identifies which spirit requires a statue to be raised for it. The sculptor then fashions the object so that it serves as a “body” or receptacle for this entity.
The guardian of the altar (Thilduu): Once sanctified, the 38 cm statuette was placed on the domestic altar, located in the darkest room of the earth house (soukhala). It received ritual offerings (mil beer, animal blood, porridges) placed directly on its head or base to activate its protective power.
3. Spiritual meaning: An active shield
The word Bateba can be literally translated as “those who counter evil” or “the substitutes.” For the Lobi, these statues are endowed with a form of spiritual life:
A sentinel role: The figurine acts as a metaphysical lightning rod. It intercepts sorcery, drives away nocturnal evil spirits, and protects the inhabitants of the house from invisible attacks.
A bridge of communication: It serves as a direct medium to transmit the family’s prayers and sacrifices to the Thil spirit, ensuring balance, health, and survival of the human community in the face of the unpredictable forces of the bush.
Packages are sent from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in France in 1 to 3 days via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Statue Bateba
Ethnic group/ culture
Lobi
Country of Origin
Mali
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
