Ivory Coast. Wood, 79 cm high. The Bete use these female figures as a portrayal of mythical beings incorporating the symbols of feminine beauty. They are characterized by realistic carving which focuses mainly on grace and beauty, on the torso's elegance and on a strong set of legs. As is the case with other related figures, the arms are extended next to the abdomen, emphasizing the torso and the presence of complex scarifications. This early and rare figure was collected by the renowned Czech scholar Bohumil Théophile Holas. He worked as an ethnologist as the director of the IFAN Museum in Abidjan. He was the foremost expert on Guro and Bete figures and a prolific author of many books on the region. (VJ)

Provenance:
Collected near Ouragahio by Bohumil Théophile Holas (1909-1978), Abidjan;
Emil Storrer (1917-1989), Zürich, Switzerland;
Private collection;
Mercedes & David Serra, Barcelona.

Published:
Holas (Bohumil), "L'image du monde Bete", Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1968:67;
Holas (Bohumil), "Sculptures ivoiriennes", Imprimerie Reliure Mama Tours, 1969: Portada;
Holas (Bohumil), "Sculptures ivoiriennes", Paris: Geuthner/C. S. H., 1969:59, #1;
Holas (Bohumil), "Sculptures ivoiriennes", Deuxième éditionélargie, Paris: Geuthner, 1973:110-111, #33;
Bruneaf catalog 2020, Brussels Fig.17 (Serra);
Exhibition catalog "Imaginaire Tribal" Barcelona, pag.46-47, 49.