A Baule statue, Toumodi region, Ivory Coast. This dark wooden figurine depicts a woman standing on a round base decorated with horizontal lines. The body is long and slender, with slightly bent legs, a rounded belly, and prominent breasts. The arms hang down alongside the body, and the hands rest on the lower abdomen. The oval face features almond-shaped eyes, a slender, straight nose, and a small, closed mouth. The hairstyle, tall and intricately crafted, consists of several sections covered with fine grooves. Incised patterns appear on the forehead, cheeks, neck, abdomen, and back. The surface of the wood bears a black and brown patina, with some signs of wear. In Baoulé art from Côte d’Ivoire, beauty is often expressed through a calm face, an upright posture, a neat hairstyle, and regular scarifications. The hands resting on the abdomen may symbolize femininity, motherhood, or fertility. This type of figure represents an idealized woman, an ancestor, or a being connected to the invisible world—such as a spiritual spouse known as blolo bla. "The Baule are originally part of a breakaway group of the Akan people from Ghana. In the 17th century, Queen Abla Pokou led a group on an exodus away from the main Ashanti Confederacy after a war broke out due to disagreements among the factions. Pokou realized that she and her followers may be in harms way, so she took her people and headed westward. Legend says the group came upon the Comoé River, with its dangerous waters and needed a way to safely cross. With the enemy gaining on them, Queen Pokou asked a diviner for advice. The diviner, after much thought, told her the gods required a sacrifice. Everyone began throwing their most prized possessions into the river; gold, ivory, cattle, everything they owned, hoping to appease the gods. The diviner shook his head and said that our sons are our most prized possessions. Pokou, knowing that her duty as queen was more important than that of a mother, decided then to sacrifice her only son, throwing him into the water and calling out “Ba ouli”, translated to “the child is dead”, giving them the name Baule. After the sacrifice was made, hippopotamuses came up from the river and formed a bridge allowing the queen and her people to cross." "Differing from most cultures, the Baule are a matriarchal society. Not only are genetic lineages traced by the mother’s blood line, but they refrain from participating in secret societies and initiations that usually forbid women. They believe women’s rights are sacred and are for the most part, given the same opportunities as men. They do however, have some objects such as special men’s masks or anthropomorphic monkeys that women are forbidden to see due to fear of harm or death." Lit.: Alain-Michel Boye/Patrick Girard/Marceau Rivière: Arts Premiers de Côte d´Ívoire, Sepia 1997, p. 83-84. Susan M. Vogel: Baule: African Art Western Eye, 1997, p. 169 (169-187); Bernard de Grunne: Über den Baule-Stil und seine Meister. In: Eberhard Fischer/Lorenz Homberger: Afrikanische Meister. Kunst der Elfenbeinküste, Zurüch 2014, p. 81-106; Alain-Michel Boyer: Baule. Visions of Africa, Milan 2008. Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history. Informant: Bakari Inv. No. M/A/Z//1///84//52 The seller guarantees and can prove that the object was obtained legally. The seller was informed by Catawiki that they had to provide the documentation required by the laws and regulations in their country of residence. The seller guarantees and is entitled to sell/export this object. The seller will provide all provenance information known about the object to the buyer. The seller ensures that any necessary permits are/will be arranged. The seller will inform the buyer immediately about any delays in obtaining such permits.