Female standing figure
20th century
Jealousy is resolved in Baule culture by the acquisition of a “person of wood” who enables the owner to communicate with troublesome spirits. This tall figure embodies the physical qualities prized by the Baule: impassive faces, long necks, contained postures, and precisely detailed scarification and hair styles.
This figure was likely commissioned by a woman who was in distress, concerned about the disruptions caused by what is called a “spirit spouse”. All Baule adults have a mate of the opposite sex living in the otherworld who can be demanding and causing problems in a marriage, with children, or with finances. Wooden spirit spouses become companions that one spends at least one night a week with and cares for. The smooth glossy skin on this sculpture is a sign that this spouse has been fondly polished. Always standing with a strong vertical axis, the spirit spouse’s legs are flexed and full, in a manner admired by the Baule as the sign of a person in their prime.
Wood, cloth
Height: 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm)
Gift of Dr. Oliver E. and Pamela F. Cobb
2012.29.3
Provenance: Maurice Ratton Antiquarie, Paris, 1967; [Madame LeLoup gallery, New York City]; purchased from gallery by present owner, 1988
Photo: Elizabeth Mann
