19th - Early 20th Century (c. 1880 - 1930)
Wood with ritual accretion, kaolin, and aged cloth
A substantial example of Baule ritual sculpture, this standing simian bowl-bearer figure measures 22.5 inches tall and was carved from dense hardwood. The figure stands with knees slightly bent, presenting a bowl with both hands in the posture characteristic of this class of object.
Bowl-bearing monkey figures in Baule practice are associated with the mbra or gbekre tradition — objects belonging to the world of divination and protective ritual, activated and maintained by specialists through repeated ceremonial use. The bowl functioned as a receptacle for offerings and sacred substances, making these figures active participants in ritual life rather than decorative objects.
The surface is the most compelling feature here. Thick accretion covers the head, torso, and loincloth in the pattern produced by sustained handling and ritual feeding — dense at the points of contact, varied across the body. Areas of white pigment, consistent with kaolin, appear around the mouth, teeth, and the bowl zone. These are not decorative additions; the application of kaolin was part of the activation vocabulary of objects like this, marking spiritually charged areas. The visual contrast between the dark oxidized wood and pale pigment gives the figure considerable presence.
An aged cloth loincloth survives partially beneath the accretion — a detail worth noting, as textile elements on figures of this type are difficult to fake convincingly. Its integration into the ritual surface suggests it was present throughout the object's ceremonial life.
Dating, based on carving style, construction, and surface character, is placed at approximately 1880–1930, comfortably within the 19th–mid-20th century collecting range for this tradition.
Condition shows honest age wear: stable cracking, surface losses consistent with use, and no evidence of modern restoration. Form, patina, pigment, and ritual buildup are all intact.
Dimensions: 22.5 × 6.5 × 8 inches (H × W × D)
19th - Early 20th Century (c. 1880 - 1930)
Wood with ritual accretion, kaolin, and aged cloth
A substantial example of Baule ritual sculpture, this standing simian bowl-bearer figure measures 22.5 inches tall and was carved from dense hardwood. The figure stands with knees slightly bent, presenting a bowl with both hands in the posture characteristic of this class of object.
Bowl-bearing monkey figures in Baule practice are associated with the mbra or gbekre tradition — objects belonging to the world of divination and protective ritual, activated and maintained by specialists through repeated ceremonial use. The bowl functioned as a receptacle for offerings and sacred substances, making these figures active participants in ritual life rather than decorative objects.
The surface is the most compelling feature here. Thick accretion covers the head, torso, and loincloth in the pattern produced by sustained handling and ritual feeding — dense at the points of contact, varied across the body. Areas of white pigment, consistent with kaolin, appear around the mouth, teeth, and the bowl zone. These are not decorative additions; the application of kaolin was part of the activation vocabulary of objects like this, marking spiritually charged areas. The visual contrast between the dark oxidized wood and pale pigment gives the figure considerable presence.
An aged cloth loincloth survives partially beneath the accretion — a detail worth noting, as textile elements on figures of this type are difficult to fake convincingly. Its integration into the ritual surface suggests it was present throughout the object's ceremonial life.
Dating, based on carving style, construction, and surface character, is placed at approximately 1880–1930, comfortably within the 19th–mid-20th century collecting range for this tradition.
Condition shows honest age wear: stable cracking, surface losses consistent with use, and no evidence of modern restoration. Form, patina, pigment, and ritual buildup are all intact.
Dimensions: 22.5 × 6.5 × 8 inches (H × W × D)
