Baoulé fetish statue - Baoulé / Baule - Côte d'Ivoire
Starting bid
€ 1
Add to your favourites to get an alert when the auction starts.
Expert
Selected by Dimitri André
Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 143467 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
Description from the seller
Côte d'Ivoire
Baoulé
Wood
Height: 265 mm + base 30 mm
Width: 65 mm
Depth: 65 mm
Weight: 325 g
1. Ethnic group / culture
Baoulé, a cultural group of Côte d’Ivoire.
2. Geographical origin
Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.
3. Type of object
Anthropomorphic masculine statuette in carved and polychrome wood, depicting a figure standing on an integrated circular base.
4. Artistic description
This statuette is distinguished by a compact silhouette, a voluminous head and a long neck marked by several relief rings. The figure presents a frontal posture, legs slightly apart and arms folded along the body, hands drawn down toward the lower abdomen.
The face is built around a broad forehead, almond-shaped eyes with lowered eyelids, a straight narrow nose and lips painted red. Ears are sculpted in relief. The hairstyle, rounded and geometrized, is treated with incisions and variations of volume.
The torso is bare and the anatomical modeling is deliberately simplified. The fingers are indicated by small incisions underscored with light pigment. The feet, placed side by side on a circular base, have individual toes highlighted with light touches.
The rear view reveals a full-volume sculpture: the back, buttocks, legs and the back of the head are also worked. The composition combines rounded volumes, engraved lines and geometric stylization.
5. Materials and technique
Carved wood, with traces of polychromy. The surface shows a dark overall tone, with light highlights on the eyes, nose, fingers and toes, and a touch of red on the lips. The technique combines direct carving, volume modeling and decorative incisions.
6. Symbolism
In Baoulé sculpture, the human representation can evoke ideal beauty, social identity, or the relationships between the visible world and the spiritual world. The posture of the hands, the treatment of the face and the decorative marks contribute to constructing the image of the character.
7. Function and ritual use
Baoulé sculpture notably includes figures associated with relations to the spiritual world, including representations of spiritual partners (blolo bla and blolo bian) and certain figures linked to forest spirits (asie usu).
The statuette shows characteristics compatible with the Baoulé anthropomorphic statuary repertoire. Identifying it as a figure of a spiritual partner or another type of ritual representation would, however, require additional information.
8. Cultural context
The Baoulé are known for a sculptural tradition in which the representation of the human body plays an important role. Sculptors often favor a strong frontal stance, stylized faces, carefully structured coiffures, and proportions that emphasize the head and torso.
This statuette visually fits within this formal vocabulary, notably through its ringed neck, its face with lowered eyelids and its symmetrical posture.
9. Traces of use
The surface shows general wear of the polychromy, scuffing and pigment loss. Irregularities and marks are visible on the body, legs and circular base. These observations describe the current surface condition and do not on their own determine the circumstances of the object's use.
10. Condition
Used condition with visible surface wear and lacunar polychromy. Marks, small losses and irregularities are perceptible on several parts of the sculpture. The statuette is presented on a separate rectangular base.
11. Bibliography and sources
Male Baoulé figures kept in museum collections show formal similarities with this statuette, notably the standing posture, hands brought to the abdomen, stylized facial treatment and neck construction.
The most useful comparisons for this 26.5 cm statuette are those showing nearby visible characteristics:
• British Museum – Baoulé male figure, Af1956,27.30: standing figure, hands on the abdomen and sculpted hairstyle. The posture is comparable, though the museum figure is more elongated.
• Smithsonian, National Museum of African Art – male figure, nmafa_2015-9-4: wooden statuette with hands on the belly, closer in size.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art – Male Figure, 1986.481.1: Baoulé wooden sculpture with pigments, useful for comparing overall body treatment and polychromy.
12. Final description intended for collectors
Baoulé male statuette from Côte d’Ivoire, carved in wood and retaining traces of polychromy. The figure is characterized by a voluminous head, almond-shaped eyes, a ringed neck and a frontal posture, with hands drawn down toward the lower abdomen. The incised details of the fingers and toes as well as light pigment highlights structure the dark surface of the sculpture. The back is also worked, confirming a solid-round sculpting approach. A representative piece of the Baoulé formal vocabulary in sculpture.
Packages are shipped quickly from Monday to Saturday with a tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France and 2 to 5 days across Europe. Worldwide delivery.
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 TranslateCôte d'Ivoire
Baoulé
Wood
Height: 265 mm + base 30 mm
Width: 65 mm
Depth: 65 mm
Weight: 325 g
1. Ethnic group / culture
Baoulé, a cultural group of Côte d’Ivoire.
2. Geographical origin
Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.
3. Type of object
Anthropomorphic masculine statuette in carved and polychrome wood, depicting a figure standing on an integrated circular base.
4. Artistic description
This statuette is distinguished by a compact silhouette, a voluminous head and a long neck marked by several relief rings. The figure presents a frontal posture, legs slightly apart and arms folded along the body, hands drawn down toward the lower abdomen.
The face is built around a broad forehead, almond-shaped eyes with lowered eyelids, a straight narrow nose and lips painted red. Ears are sculpted in relief. The hairstyle, rounded and geometrized, is treated with incisions and variations of volume.
The torso is bare and the anatomical modeling is deliberately simplified. The fingers are indicated by small incisions underscored with light pigment. The feet, placed side by side on a circular base, have individual toes highlighted with light touches.
The rear view reveals a full-volume sculpture: the back, buttocks, legs and the back of the head are also worked. The composition combines rounded volumes, engraved lines and geometric stylization.
5. Materials and technique
Carved wood, with traces of polychromy. The surface shows a dark overall tone, with light highlights on the eyes, nose, fingers and toes, and a touch of red on the lips. The technique combines direct carving, volume modeling and decorative incisions.
6. Symbolism
In Baoulé sculpture, the human representation can evoke ideal beauty, social identity, or the relationships between the visible world and the spiritual world. The posture of the hands, the treatment of the face and the decorative marks contribute to constructing the image of the character.
7. Function and ritual use
Baoulé sculpture notably includes figures associated with relations to the spiritual world, including representations of spiritual partners (blolo bla and blolo bian) and certain figures linked to forest spirits (asie usu).
The statuette shows characteristics compatible with the Baoulé anthropomorphic statuary repertoire. Identifying it as a figure of a spiritual partner or another type of ritual representation would, however, require additional information.
8. Cultural context
The Baoulé are known for a sculptural tradition in which the representation of the human body plays an important role. Sculptors often favor a strong frontal stance, stylized faces, carefully structured coiffures, and proportions that emphasize the head and torso.
This statuette visually fits within this formal vocabulary, notably through its ringed neck, its face with lowered eyelids and its symmetrical posture.
9. Traces of use
The surface shows general wear of the polychromy, scuffing and pigment loss. Irregularities and marks are visible on the body, legs and circular base. These observations describe the current surface condition and do not on their own determine the circumstances of the object's use.
10. Condition
Used condition with visible surface wear and lacunar polychromy. Marks, small losses and irregularities are perceptible on several parts of the sculpture. The statuette is presented on a separate rectangular base.
11. Bibliography and sources
Male Baoulé figures kept in museum collections show formal similarities with this statuette, notably the standing posture, hands brought to the abdomen, stylized facial treatment and neck construction.
The most useful comparisons for this 26.5 cm statuette are those showing nearby visible characteristics:
• British Museum – Baoulé male figure, Af1956,27.30: standing figure, hands on the abdomen and sculpted hairstyle. The posture is comparable, though the museum figure is more elongated.
• Smithsonian, National Museum of African Art – male figure, nmafa_2015-9-4: wooden statuette with hands on the belly, closer in size.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art – Male Figure, 1986.481.1: Baoulé wooden sculpture with pigments, useful for comparing overall body treatment and polychromy.
12. Final description intended for collectors
Baoulé male statuette from Côte d’Ivoire, carved in wood and retaining traces of polychromy. The figure is characterized by a voluminous head, almond-shaped eyes, a ringed neck and a frontal posture, with hands drawn down toward the lower abdomen. The incised details of the fingers and toes as well as light pigment highlights structure the dark surface of the sculpture. The back is also worked, confirming a solid-round sculpting approach. A representative piece of the Baoulé formal vocabulary in sculpture.
Packages are shipped quickly from Monday to Saturday with a tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France and 2 to 5 days across Europe. Worldwide delivery.
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
Baoulé fetish statue
Ethnic group/ culture
Baoulé / Baule
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
