Maternité ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3038370

Description

wood, matt brown patina, noble facial features, fine grooved projecting coiffure, rich scarification marks, carved in seated posture, wearing a loincloth, presumably depicting a woman of high social rank, slightly dam., cracks, rep. (crest, foot tips), abrasion of paint, block-like base;
figures like the present should encourage fertility and successful births. Baule classification for sculptures such as this is “waka sran”, literally “person of wood”.This sculpture would be appreciated for its aesthetic qualities, with phrases such as “o e fe” (“it is pleasing”).

The object Maternité with the object ID 3038370 was last part of the auction 79th Tribal Art Auction at March 21, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 168.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about African art.

Comparing literature

Vogel, Susan Mullin, Baule - African Art - Western Eyes, New York 1997, p. 96