Standing ape figure "gbekre" · Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3035365
Description
wood, encrusted dark brown patina, sacrificial traces, kaolin, a compact and strong body, provided with a big teeth-revealing mouth, a wooden dagger attached to his torso, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, socle;
“gbekre” figures belong to secret societies, village communities or individual families. They always look wild and aggressive. They are currently sacrificed with blood and eggs, which is why the whole figure is coated by 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 3035365 was last part of the auction 74th tribal art auction at September 7, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 147.
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Comparing literature
Vogel, Susan Mullin, Baule, African Art - Western Eyes, New York 1997, p. 238