Baule Male Figure, Ivory Coast

the necklace of glass beads with gold pendants, the belt strung with Lebbek Tree (Albizia lebbeck) and Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) seeds.

Gaston de Havenon, New York
Lillian and Sidney Lichter, New York, acquired from the above on March 22, 1973

Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY, African Art: Masterpieces from Private Collections, December 5, 1993 - February 27, 1994

Michael Kan, African Art: Masterpieces from Private Collections, Katonah, 1993, p. 19 (not illustrated)

Very good condition for an object of this type and age. Minor marks, nicks, scratches, and abrasions throughout consistent with age and handling. Minor hairline crack in top left side of coiffure. Small chips to forehead and proper left thumb. Tiny piece of metal in proper right shoulder. Old loss to phallus as seen in catalogue photograph, patinated over. Age crack to left side of base running through proper left foot. Small surface divots (possibly old insect damage) at proper left temple and proper left calf. Four strands of glass beads, lebbek and tamarind seeds around waist, bound together with a string and with small losses. Strand of glass beads with two gold pendants around neck. Exceptionally fine glossy dark reddish-brown patina with encrustations. Permanently fixed to base. Rectangular label on back of base with type: "137-D".
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This superb figure belongs to an ensemble of Baule sculptures (figures and masks) that can be attributed to a group of artists active in the central Baule area from the middle to the late nineteenth century. While Vogel (1999: 51) refers to them as the "Nzipri Circle" of artists, de Grunne (2001: 67) suggests the name "Masters of Sakassou."

Figures in this style are "characterized by a long, supple line, the body having a soft, rounded belly, the face concave and heart-shaped with large round eyes [...]. The idiosyncratic treatment of the lower leg is an easily recognized trait: the ankle is usually behind the center of gravity, well behind the knee, and the ankles are small, pulled close together, giving the figure tension and a sort of lift off the high, tight, deeply ribbed base" (Vogel 1999: 51).