Baule Monkey Figurine, Toumodi Region, Ivory Coast, wood with dark patina; Central Ivory Coast, Toumodi Region. This monkey figurine originates from the cultural context of the Baule people in central Ivory Coast and highlights the significant role of animal representations within West African pictorial traditions. While the Baule are particularly known for their idealized human figures, animal depictions also exist that fulfill symbolic, narrative, or spiritual functions. The region around Toumodi is considered an important center of Baule art, whose works are characterized by a balanced combination of naturalism and stylized forms. The sculpture depicts a monkey with its knees slightly bent, its posture creating a remarkable tension between movement and stability. The head is tilted upwards, while the wide-open, circular mouth and the visible teeth lend the figure an exceptionally expressive effect. The deeply retracted corners of the mouth reinforce this impression and suggest a call, an incantation, or a communicative gesture. The rounded ears and the simplified facial modeling focus attention on the expressive face. The two young animals clinging tightly to the figure's belly and back are of particular significance. Their mirrored arrangement creates a balanced composition and suggests notions of nurture, fertility, and familial continuity. The vessel held by the mother figure could allude to sacrificial offerings, sustenance, or ritual functions. The suggested loincloth simultaneously anchors the depiction in human and cultural contexts. Patina, abrasion, and clear signs of use attest to the sculpture's age and long history, lending it a distinctive historical presence. Literature (Selection) Susan Mullin Vogel: Baule: African Art, Western Eyes. New Haven 1997. Monni Adams: Akan Arts and Aesthetics. Los Angeles 1983. Herbert M. Cole: Icons: Ideals and Power in the Art of Africa. Washington 1989. Christopher D. Roy: Traditional Art of Africa. Upper Saddle River 1999. Jacques Kerchache among others: L’Art Africain. Paris 1988.