Pair of figures "asie usu" · Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3052889
Jane & Howard Cohen, Baltimore, USA (1973)
Description
wood, glas beads, plant fiber, patina, metal, old registration no. “BMA 7532.2” under the foot of the male figure, remnants of old base / mount adhesive under the female figure
Pair of figures with a dignified presence and finely balanced proportions. Dense, evenly spaced scarifications rendered in low raised relief, along with carefully worked details on the abdomen and back, attest to a high level of craftsmanship.
The figures represent bush spirits and form part of a diviner’s ritual paraphernalia. During consultations they are placed between the client and the diviner, must be handled with great care, and serve as intermediaries to the spirit world. They are believed to influence a person’s life in both positive and negative ways, causing confusion or bringing clarity.
Publications
Baltimore Museum of Art (ed.), Social Rite & Personal Delight, Baltimore 1975, fig. 46 (male figure)
AHDRC: 0224867 (male figure)
Exhibition
Social Rite and Personal Delight: African Art from Baltimore Collections, The Baltimore Museum of Art, 17 June - 3 August 1975 (male figure)