Site Loader
Rock Street, San Francisco
  • Current Language:
  • fr
  • Select Language:

This is the rating and price for Early 20Th C. Baule Wood Blolo Bian Figure, 2012



Description : 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): Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection, ex-Joan Oestreich collection, New York, USA All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #147161
Price: 1 245.00 USD It's free to register now to view!
Estimate (low-high) : 1800 USD-2500 USD It's free to register now to view!

About the lot N° 221
Title : Early 20Th C. Baule Wood Blolo Bian Figure, Period : 2012
Size : 3.75 L
Condition report : 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.
Artemis Gallery, auctioneer, Louisville, US It's free to register now to view!
Sale title : Ancient / Ethnographic From Around the World
Sale date : 20 Jun 2019 It's free to register now to view!
Sale Reference : Live Sale

Interested in valuating work ? 

AfricartMarket Insights

Access exclusive information.Sign-up here for our newsletter and we’ll keep you updated. You can unsubscribe at any time.

 

We respect your privacy. No spam.