Baoulé Couple, Ivory Coast

Couple of male and female characters for the diviner. These statues, of great elegance, have all the attributes of the so-called "classic" beauty of the Baoulé: scarifications, delicate work of the headdress, fine features, downward gaze as a sign of respect, etc...! According to Susan Vogel in "From the visible to the invisible", speaking of a couple preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it is the representation "of a moral and physical ideal: the figures are straight, serious, and their gaze manifest an intelligent and respectful integration into society. Their beautiful and original hairstyles and their refined scarifications reveal their desire to please; their clean, healthy skin and full muscles show that they are able to work productively, providing food and objects needed by society. They are at ease in the world and their bent legs express focused energy and the muscular tension of attention. "
These offers are also valid for the couple presented here. The woman carries a child on her back, which delicately clings to her mother's arms. A great harmony emerges from this couple. They complement and respond to each other. It is a very beautiful testimony of ancient Baoulé art. A great serenity emanates from this work.
Baoulé people, Ivory Coast
Wood with patina of use, cracks and slight lacks at the level of the headdresses of the two characters.
Height: man 40 cm: ; woman: 39 cm
Late 19th or very early 20th century
Provenance: former Parisian collection