The Baule people in Ivory Coast imagine that every married adult, whether man or woman, has a ‘spirit spouse’. These invisible spirits live in the afterlife, in the spirit world, or in the ‘bush’. They are represented as sculptures and preserved in the bedroom. Male ‘spirit spouses’ (for women) are called ‘blolo bian’, the female ones (for men) are called ‘blolo bla’. It is possible to communicate with them, discuss problems, and ask them for advice. The present, standing, ‘spiritual spouse’ (‘blolo bla’) is carved from hard, light-coloured wood and dyed black. It displays a finely lined, characteristic Baule hairstyle with three plaits on each side, a typical Baule face with high eyebrow arches above outlined eyes, long, flat nose and a beautifully curved mouth, as well as many typical tribal decorative scarification marks in relief on the face, neck, abdomen and back. Her hands with long, slender fingers hold her abdomen in the area of the accentuated navel. On the left knee she displays a double chain of small, black glass beads as ornament. A perfect, very finely crafted ‘blolo bla’ figure, with an age-related crack to the left foot and plinth, two minimal breaks to the left arm, as well as slight colour abrasion to exposed areas. Otherwise no damage. Good, old patina.
Height: 40 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: German private collection.

Lit.: ‘Baule. African Art - Western Eyes’ by Susan M. Vogel, p. 41, 250, 251, 255, 263, 267; ‘Die Kunst des schwarzen Afrika’ by Kerchache, Paudrat, Stephan, ill. 61, 63, 384.