A Superb Baule Seated Male Figure, Ivory Coast

This dramatic work of a master carver shows many of the attributes that are highly valued among the Baule, including body scarification, an elaborate coiffure, a long beard, and a tall stool. The assymetry in the carving is evidence of a very early, pre-contact, date of carving, when Baule sculpture still targeted rather portraiture than idealization. The arms resting on the abdomen is a frequent position of both seated and standing Baule figures and may be interpreted as a gesture of contemplation. The juxtaposition between the dense, distorted body and the silent beauty of the face place the Stanoff figure on the level of the most dynamic and powerful Baule sculptures.