The Baule people of Ivory Coast believe that every married man and every married woman have a partner in the ‘other world’ (that is in the afterlife or in the ‘bush’, in the world of spirits). These are called ‘Blolo Bian’ (male) and ‘Blolo Bla’ (female), respectively. With these ‘spirit spouses’ in the shape of such figures it is possible to communicate, ask them for advice, discuss problems, etc. The present sitting figure of a ‘spirit spouse’ is made of brown, hard wood and dyed black. The present ‘Blolo Bian’ features very carefully wrought details, such as the complex ‘construction’ of the finely carved hairstyle with three braid ends, the ‘noble’ face with a high forehead and accurately executed eyebrows, and the long goatee woven into a braid held in the right hand. Further details include the scarification mark tattoos – on the chest, abdomen, neck and back – and the toes.
An extremely beautiful piece, with only one small fracture to lower end of the beard.
First half of the 20th century; H: 51 cm. (ME)

Provenance: Belgian Private Collection; Austrian Austrian Private Collection.
Lit.: 'Baule. African Art, Western Eyes' by Susan M. Vogel, ill. p. 241.