Baule shrine sculpture with figures Amuin SUBLIME Start Price USD 2,500.00 Current Price USD 2,500.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Monday, September 29, 2008 End Time Thursday, October 09, 2008 Location Denver, CO See more about 'Baule shrine sculpture with figures Amuin SUBLIME' Description Baule shrine object with figures SUBLIME Type of Object: Shrine object Ethnic Group/Tribe: Baule Country of Origin: Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Materials: Wood, fabric, organic material Approximate Age: Early 20th Century Dimensions: Height 26 inches Overall Condition: Good Damage, Repair: Encrusted patina makes it difficult to tell. Possible repair to neck of top animal head. Damage to base. Additional Information: This finely carved sculpture is an extraordinary shrine object with impressive complex symbolic drama and an astonishing sculptural presence. Shrines known as amuin (sacred) are one of the most powerful art forms to be found among the Baule. These sacred objects are recognized as existing however are not acknowledged publicly. They are powerful objects and carry magical threats within them so that they are hidden from public view. Shrines are not to be seen by women and are in the main hidden from public view. Individual males can own shrines however the complex imagery on this sculpture most probably locates this sculpture within the men’s enclave in the sacred forest (amiun bo nun) where masks are kept and the spirits that animate them reside. This sculpture is in fact surmounted by the carving of the mask and the grass costume that is worn to hide the dancer wearing it. The mask is often identified as representing animals however the image is to represent the wild spirit of the bush and nature. This figure of the masked dancer is true to life and a powerful image. The figures on the body of the shrine object are carved in high relief and rest against a background that has been decorated with a subtly engraved pattern. Two figures sit on either side of the figure carved into a niche that is covered by a hanging cloth. The small holes above the shrine opening most probably were used in the past to put strands of grass to cover the figure in the shrine niche, The figure looms out of the background in a pose that is similar to the mbra figures of a monkey with hands held out in front into which offerings were placed. A male figure sits on one side holding a short staff and a female flanks the other side of the shrine opening holding a staff. A male figure stands at the back of the shrine brandishing a sword and holding a spear in gestures of power and a threat to those who come to the shrine. This is a well-used and masterfully carved sculpture that is unique in it’s form as well a it’s symbolism. The damage to the base and the wear of the surface attests to it’s years of service as a shrine. This is a classic example of Baule sculpture carved by a master carver that is rarely seen today that would add an historical dimension to a collection. It is simply an extraordinary example of Baule sculptural art that gives a hint at the masterful works that existed in the past. Recommended Reading: P. L. Ravenhill: Baule Statuary Art: Meaning and Modernization, Institute for the Study of Human Issues, Working Paper 5 (Philadelphia, 1980)S. M. Vogel: Beauty in the Eyes of the Baule: Aesthetics and Cultural Values, Institute for the Study of Human Issues, Working Paper 6 (Philadelphia,1980)S. M. Vogel, Baule, African Art, Western Eyes. 1997**024517** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006 Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers! Please visit our About Us page. SquareTrade © AP6.0 PesaMember Place a Bid!