Baoulé Music Hammer, Republic Of Côte d'Ivoire, First Half Of The 20th Century.

Musical hammer, the twisted handle topped with an arc-shaped beater carved with a head with a soft, inward expression, accentuated by half-closed eyes, the open forehead topped with a headdress arranged with regular furrows. Hardwood, old brown patina, signs of use. Baoulé, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, first half of the 20th century. Dimensions: 24 × 8 cm Provenance: Former collection from the Bordeaux region, formed in the 1970s–1980s Sold with a black iron base and certificate of authenticity from the expert Serge Reynes. Guaranteed original and period "These hammers, called lawlé, were used to strike metal gongs during Baoulé divination ceremonies. The object accompanied the trance sessions led by the diviner, allowing the spirits of the bush to be invoked and giving rhythm to the invocations addressed to invisible forces. The figurative decoration sculpted on the batoir – here a serene face with half-closed eyes and a ridged hairstyle – accentuates the spiritual dimension of the object: the head represented evokes the presence of an ancestor or a protective spirit. The repeated use, perceptible by the old patina and the traces of handling, confirms the ritual function of this hammer which, while being utilitarian, is part of the refined aesthetic specific to Baoulé art."