Standing female figure "asie usu" · Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3047238
Ludwig Schmidt (1920-1995), Munich, Germany (ca. 1970)
By descent through family (1995-2014)
Guy van Rijn, Brussels, Belgium
Mark Eglinton, New York, USA (2015)
Description
wood, decorative nails, glass beads, insect caused damage, rest., base
The face of this figure, with its round, pleasing form, the large eyes and the small mouth, shows facial features that can almost be described as lovely.
She wears an original hairstyle with individual details and is lavishly decorated with scarification marks on her face, neck and back. According to the Baule’s sense of beauty, this figure is the idealized representation of a woman.
According to Vogel the Baule classification for sculptures such as this is “waka sran”, literally “person of wood”. This highly original sculpture would be appreciated for its aesthetic qualities, with phrases such as “o e fe” (it is sweet, pleasing) or “o ti klanman” (it is beautiful).
Due to the partly encrusted and mottled patina, as well as due to its size, this figure might also be assigned to the type of “asie usu” figures. Because “blolo bla/bian” - figures were repeatedly cleaned and oiled and show rather smooth, shiny surfaces.
Publications
Schädler, Karl-Ferdinand, Afrikanische Kunst in Deutschen Privatsammlungen, München 1973, p. 96, Abb. 121AHDRC: 0057623