Zemanek-Münster

Standing male figure "blolo bian" oder "asie usu" ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3038220

not available anymore
Provenance
bought from an ex Peace Corps officer in 1974
Stacy Collection, Washington D.C., USA (1975), American diplomate, who served in Africa in the 1960’s and 1970’s
Size
H: 45 cm
H: 17.7 inch

Description

wood, reddish brown patina with remains of black paint, long and slender legs, the upper part of the body with closed contours, a long neck supporting a rather large head which is widely projecting to the front, raised scarification marks on face and neck, cross-shaped tattoos on the cheeks, slightly dam. (nose tip, mouth), cracks, minor missing part (base), abrasion of paint;
either representing a “blolo bian” figure (= male partner from the other world") or an “asie usu” figure (= bush spirit). Bush spirits are displayed between the fortune teller and the client during a public performance. But unless collected in situ, the actual function of a figure cannot reliably be determined.


The object Standing male figure “blolo bian” oder “asie usu” with the object ID 3038220 was last part of the auction 79th Tribal Art Auction at March 21, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 164.

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