Figure féminine assise "waka sona", "type asie usu"
Côte d'Ivoire, Baoulé
Vendu
2 000 €
Provenance
Siegfried und Johanna Fügener, Stuttgart, Germany (acquired in the 1960s/80s)Taille
H: 38 cm
H: 15.0 inch
Description
wood, rest. (cracks spread with mass)
Most Baule statuettes of seated male or female figures are connected with the “asie usu”, the spirits of the bush, which are secondary divinities whose favour is gained through statuettes.
They are part of the basic equipment of “komien” (fortune-tellers), and assist them in their communication with helpful spirits.
They are often displayed during sessions in which the diviner is possessed by a spirit and goes into trance. The statue has to be as attractive as possible in order to encourage the spirit to live in it.