BAULE FIGURES ARCHIVES, Ivory Coast

For unsold pieces look at BAULE FIGURES PAGE

The Baule figures below have been SOLD and are left here for reference and educational purposes.

BAULE
Figure 12
18.5" high
SOLD

 BAULE
Figure 26
33.5" high
SOLD

BAULE
Figure 37
15.25" high
SOLD

BAULE
Figure 27
22" high
SOLD



 

BAULE
Figure 1
SOLD

 

BAULE
Figure 2
SOLD

 

 BAULE
Figure 3
SOLD

 

 BAULE
Figure 4
SOLD

 

 BAULE
Figure 6
SOLD

 BAULE
Figure 7
SOLD
 

BAULE
Figure 9
SOLD
 

 

BAULE
Figure 11
SOLD

 

BAULE
Figure 13
SOLD

 BAULE
Figure 15
SOLD

 

BAULE
Figure 17
SOLD

 

 BAULE
Figure 18
SOLD

 

BAULE
Figure 24
SOLD

 BAULE
Figure 22
SOLD

Photographs © Tim Hamill

BAULE, FIGURES ARCHIVES, Ivory Coast

The Baule are one of the Akan peoples. They moved west to the Ivory Coast more than 200 years ago and adopted sculptural and masking traditions from their neighbors, the Guro, Senufo and Yaure peoples.

Baule figures can be among the most elegant and designed pieces in Africa. Many show careful execution of face, coiffure and scarification details, with refined forms but no loss of expressiveness and power. The quiet, dignified figures embody spirits from the other world. They functioned as the home of a spirit to whom sacrifices were made and had to be placated with care. Asye usu figures were the abode of spirits associated with diviners. In ritual performances the spirit would come out to possess the diviner, causing a trance. The display of the figures would enhance and support the ensuing dance.

Small figures include the roughly carved bo usu that helped with hunting. .

The more refined blolo bla (spirit wife) and blolo bian (spirit husband) figures, if well taken care of, helped their human partners in all areas of life.

We recommend Baule: African Art Western Eyes by Susan M. Vogel (Yale).

GO TO BAULE FIGURES PAGE

GO TO BAULE SCULPTURE PAGE

GO TO BAULE EXHIBITION PAGE

GO TO BAULE MASKS PAGE

GO TO BAULE GOLI MASKS PAGE

GO TO AFRICAN FIGURES PAGE

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