This beautiful and elegant sculpture of a seated male (or perhaps hermaphrodite) was made by the Baule group of the Ivory Coast. He is depicted sitting on an ornate chair with raised sides, his feet on the floor. The body is carved in a strongly sectorial manner, with the shoulders/chest (or perhaps breasts) carved as a single entity. He is holding his corpulent midriff with both hands, and has a long, columnar neck giving way to a very finely-carved head and highly elaborate coiffure. The face is typically Baule, with an “m”-shaped brows/nose complex, a small, pursed mouth and heavily-lidded eyes. The hair is exceptional, rendered as a central posteriorly-mounted dome, with a large additional eminence on either side. Each of these three units – of which the central is slightly the longest – has a large, pendulous braided ponytail ending with a spherical object. The surface of the body is decorated with keloid scarifications on the stomach and flanks, the upper thorax, the temples, the cheeks, the shoulders, the neck and the back. These would all have significance to the makers and the viewers, and would have identified the figure’s status, and also its village of origin.

The Baule live across the Ivory Coast area, and have an economy based primarily on sedentary agriculturism. They have thus been able to build up a considerable political and economic stronghold, which has in turn given rise to a strong ritual and artistic heritage. Their own creation story relates to an ancient migration, in which the queen was forced to sacrifice her son in order to ford a mighty river. So upset was she that all she could say was “baouli” (“the child is dead”), thus giving rise to the tribe’s name.

Blolo bian (male) and Blolo bla (female) spirit spouses are perhaps the Baule’s greatest artistic and psycho-social achievement. Upon reaching one’s majority – and particularly during a crisis of some sort – many Baule citizens enlist the help of their otherworld spouse, a perfect partner who is linked to them and who can help them in adversity. The identity of their spouse is ascertained through divination, following which a figure representing the partner will be carved and blessed. The plaintiff will then spend considerable time with the carving – generally one night a week – in the hope that supernatural assistance will be forthcoming. One’s spiritual alter ego is a serious matter in Baule society; they are also meant to represent physical and social/moral/ethical perfection.

The Baule are also renowned for sculptures representing bush spirits (Asie usu) – mischievous and potentially malevolent inhabitants of the “bush”, or dark country beyond the boundary of the village – as well as dance masks, prestige items (often made of gold) and a range of highly decorated secular objects such as doors, heddle pulleys and culinary equipment. Like most other human societies, the Baule are prey to conspicuous consumption, which is a central key to asserting one’s status in the village, and thus one’s power and influence. While their carving is among the most refined and restrained in Africa, therefore, artists vie to produce more impressive and beautiful carvings which are often decorated or adorned by their proud owners.

This piece is most probably a Blolo Bian (Spirit Husband) figure, and was carved to represent the ideal characteristics of a girl’s future spouse. Everything about the sculpture represents wealth, from the dignified composure and age (Baule society is gerontocratic), to the ornate hair, the extensive scarifications and even the stool upon which he sits – only chiefs were permitted to use such luxury items. Even his corpulence is a marker of status, as it often tends to be in areas or regions where hardship is known. It is probable that this perfect husband represents a rich older man with high social status, the perfect “partner” for an aspiring younger woman. This is a beautifully rendered piece of Baule art.