Lot 221
West Africa, Cote d'Ivoire, Baule peoples, ca. early 20th century CE. A fabulous carved wooden standing figure known as a "blolo bian" (literally "spirit husband"). This example boasts a slender body with ritual scarification marks, arms held to hips, delineated legs atop an integral rectangular plinth, and a stocky neck. The visage is composed of semicircular eyes, a narrow nose with flared nostrils, full lips curled into a slight smile, and a bulbous forehead, with dozens of additional ritual scarification marks detailing the face beneath an incised, crested coiffure. Fabulous dark-brown patina envelops the entire composition and makes this an attractive example from the Ivory Coast! Size: 3.75" L x 3.25" W x 15.5" H (9.5 cm x 8.3 cm x 39.4 cm); 16.75" H (42.5 cm) on included custom stand.
Figures like this example are known as "blolo bian" - an ancestral "dream husband" sculpture that would be placed in the home, looked after and attentively cared for, as such special figures are believed to act as a medium between the living and spiritual realms. Male blolo bian figures - as well as their female counterparts known as "blolo bla" (literally "dream wife") - are also called "dream lovers" because they are believed to visit the living in their dreams and may serve as an oracle who can predict the future or act as a lover in one's dreams.
A stylistically-similar example, of a slightly-larger size and with a hanging goatee, hammered for EUR 10,000 ($11,134.90) at Christie's, Paris "Art Africain et Oceanien" auction (sale 3521, December 11, 2012, lot 55): https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/sculptures-statues-figures/statuette-baoule-baule-figure-cote-divoire-5639170-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5639170&sid=2abbe1dd-c968-43d7-8ecb-49cfac7375d2
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Joan Oestreich collection, New York, USA
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#147161
- Condition: Losses to back areas of integral plinth from insect damage as shown. Minor abrasions to base, legs, body, and head, with a few stable fissures, and softening to some finer incised details. Nice earthen deposits as well as fabulous brown patina throughout.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |