Figure of a spirit wife "blolo bla", 19th/20th century · Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3047019
Adrian Schlag, Brussels, Belgium (2009)
Description
wood, pigments, rest., base
According to the Baule’s sense of beauty, this figure is the idealized representation of a woman. In terms of facial features, hairstyle and lavish jewellery with scarifications, it also shows a high degree of individuality.
It is the embodiment of a “spouse from the otherworldly world”, whom the Baule believe that they can influence the fortunes of the living.
These figures are designed to serve a single person and have private shrines in the house dedicated to them. Here the spirits inherent in the characters can be contacted and offerings can be made to them thus providing help.
The object Figure of a spirit wife “blolo bla”, 19th/20th century with the object ID 3047019 was last part of the auction 95th Tribal Art Auction at October 24, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 152 achieved a sales price of EUR 11,000.
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Publications
Adrian Schlag, "Tribal Art Classics VI", Brussels, 2009, p.18 f.
AHDRC: 0058218
Exhibition
Paris, France: "Parcours des Mondes", 7-11 September 2011