First half of the 20th century
Height: 33.5 inches with base (85 cm)
This figure was carved to outlast the man it portrays. A century later, it has succeeded.
Among the Bété people of Côte d'Ivoire, when a chief or elder of great standing died, a master carver was commissioned to create his likeness in wood. That figure would be brought out in ceremony — the Kolé — paraded before the village as proof that the ancestor remained present, watchful, and powerful. Bété figures are exceptionally rare; masks dominate their artistic tradition, and standing figures of this scale were reserved for men of the highest rank.
At 33.5 inches tall, this is exactly such a figure. The elongated neck, the bold scarification marks on the face and torso, the beaded necklace ring, the dignified coiffure, the dorsal scarification line running the full length of the spine — every detail is intentional, and every detail is correct. This man was important. The carver made sure you'd know it.
The deep black patina is the result of ritual handling and natural aging over decades — not an applied finish. The arrested insect damage on the left side, the long-set drying cracks, and the loss of feet: these are the marks of genuine age and authentic field use. There is no restoration here, no cleaning, no intervention. What you see is exactly what this figure has always been. Custom base included.
For context, a closely related Bete Standing Female Figure is on view online at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/312151
Condition: Good. Visible wear, old cracking, areas of arrested insect activity, especially along the left side, and losses to both feet.
Dimensions: (Height x Width x Depth) Overall including base 34 x 6.75 x 5.75 inches
First half of the 20th century
Height: 33.5 inches with base (85 cm)
This figure was carved to outlast the man it portrays. A century later, it has succeeded.
Among the Bété people of Côte d'Ivoire, when a chief or elder of great standing died, a master carver was commissioned to create his likeness in wood. That figure would be brought out in ceremony — the Kolé — paraded before the village as proof that the ancestor remained present, watchful, and powerful. Bété figures are exceptionally rare; masks dominate their artistic tradition, and standing figures of this scale were reserved for men of the highest rank.
At 33.5 inches tall, this is exactly such a figure. The elongated neck, the bold scarification marks on the face and torso, the beaded necklace ring, the dignified coiffure, the dorsal scarification line running the full length of the spine — every detail is intentional, and every detail is correct. This man was important. The carver made sure you'd know it.
The deep black patina is the result of ritual handling and natural aging over decades — not an applied finish. The arrested insect damage on the left side, the long-set drying cracks, and the loss of feet: these are the marks of genuine age and authentic field use. There is no restoration here, no cleaning, no intervention. What you see is exactly what this figure has always been. Custom base included.
For context, a closely related Bete Standing Female Figure is on view online at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/312151
Condition: Good. Visible wear, old cracking, areas of arrested insect activity, especially along the left side, and losses to both feet.
Dimensions: (Height x Width x Depth) Overall including base 34 x 6.75 x 5.75 inches
