Pair of figures "yassoua ni bla", around 1900
Edith Hafter, Solothurn, Switzerland
Christie’s, Paris, 11 Decembre 2012, lot 49
Description
wood, light brown patina, remains of black paint, kaolin, decorating brass tags, metal clamps, string with coconut discs, cord, glass bead, “yassoua” = male - “ni bla” = with woman, the figures differ in size (the male is much bigger) but are uniform in design (coiffure, facial features and scarifications), both figures have strong bodies with broad edged shoulders, their gestures are individually varied, slightly dam., minor missing parts (neck lobes), cracks (partly spread with mass), traces of insect caused damage (bottom of both bases), rep. (right wrist of the male), abrasion of paint;
Baule statuettes are either of forest, field and hill spirits (“asie usu”), or spouses from the other world (“blolo bla” and “blolo bian”). All of these are called by the generic name “waka sona”, meaning wood beings. Its difficult to distinguish one type from the other if once they have left their place of origin. The depiction as a pair of figures and the seated position of the male indicate that the figures most probably represent “asie usu”, which belong to the property of a trance diviner “komyen”. “Asie usu” constitute the abodes of the bush spirits that periodically possess the diviner and allow him or her to fortell the future and to analyze the source of misfortunes. The figures have to be handled with care in order to get their support. Like single figures of this kind, they are displayed between the fortune teller and the client during a public performance. They act as intermediaries between man and bush spirits. They may intervene in a person’s life to cause madness or to confer clairvoyance.