Standing ape figure "gbekre" ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3033355

Description

wood, thick encrusted greyish brown sacrificial patina, strong body, lowered eyes, revealed teeth, hole on top of the head, rep. (right arm), missing parts through insect caused damage, cracks, slight traces of abrasion, on wooden base;
“gbekre” figures belong to secret societies, village communities or individual families. They always look wild and aggressive and they always hold a receptacle in front of the breast. They are currently sacrificed with blood and eggs, which is why the whole figure is coated with a thick layer of encrusted blackish patina. They fulfill various tasks, serve for protection of the family or were used for soothsaying.

The object Standing ape figure “gbekre” with the object ID 3033355 was last part of the auction 70th tribal art auction at September 8, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 249 achieved a sales price of EUR 7,000.

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Comparing literature

Vogel, Susan Mullin, Baule - African Art - Western Eyes, New York 1997, p. 41