Lot 161: A Fine Baule Male Figure

A Fine Baule Male Figure , Baule; Ivory Coast

Of columnar form the figure with finley rendored coif rounded forhead and well carved face with unusual eye treatment; the long neck with arrow-shaped raised scarification, the arms carved to the body, the torsoe with raised scarification, the figure with long legs bent at the knees with integral base. H. 17''

The unusual treatment of the eyes of this figure results in a "doubleing effect" where by, a pair of eyes is emplyed in th shadowing that falls beneath the heavy brow line while a pair of simple lozenge shaped eyes has been carved above the brow line. This quality of "double eyes" led Dr. Roy Seber in the 1990s to tell the former owners of this figure that it was likely an Assei Usu figure used in traditional Baule divination.

Comments:
Property of a New York Private collector

Provenance:
Albert Gorden, Tribal Arts Gallery NY prior to 1984

Estimate: $3,000 - $4,000

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