Baoulé monkey statue - Côte d'Ivoire

Origin. Côte d'Ivoire
Tribe name. Baoulé
Material. Wood
Size. 45.cm
Shipping method. Colissimo in 24–48 hours

This statuette depicts an anthropomorphic monkey carved from wood, stylistically attributable to the Baoulé artistic tradition of Côte d’Ivoire.
The figure is shown standing on a circular base, with short, powerful legs and a prominent belly. Its arms are bent forward, and both hands hold a vessel or cup at chest level. The particularly expressive head displays strongly pronounced simian features: large, deeply recessed eye sockets, a flattened nose, prominent ears, and a wide-open mouth. The wood surface is dark, uneven, and heavily patinated, with lighter areas on the raised features.
In Baoulé art, this type of simian figure is often associated with sculptures known as gbèkrè / mbotumbo (the names and functions may vary depending on sources and contexts). Some were associated with ritual practices, particularly cults or interventions by religious specialists, and the vessel held in the hands may have been used to receive offerings.