Baule Maternity Group, Ivory Coast

Paul Rabut, Connecticut
Merton D. Simpson, New York
Donald Morris, Birmingham, Michigan, by 1971
Private Collection, Toronto
Donald Morris, Birmingham, Michigan
Maurice and Margo Cohen, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, 1983
Donald Morris, Birmingham, Michigan
Myron Kunin, Minneapolis, acquired from the above on July 2, 1999

Donald Morris Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan, African Art, March 20 - April 17, 1971

Donald Morris (ed.), African Art, Birmingham, 1971, cat. 24

Good condition for an object of this type and age. Minor marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, small chips, and cracks consistent with age and use. Age cracks, including an open crack to the front of the body with some old fill, and a crack to reverse of integrally-carved base. Chipping around bottom edge. Some very minor areas of insect damage such as to back lower part of coiffure. Braid on proper right side broken and glued. Fine varied aged dark brown patina with encrustation.
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.

The Baule distinguish the visible from the invisible world, aka the "other world", aka blolo, which is inhabited by spirits. Prior to birth every human had a spouse and children who remain in the other world until being reunited upon death. Vogel (1997: 67) explains: "So far as people know, the other world resembles this world, and blolo spirits live in villages complete with elders and families, very much like those on earth. The concept of blolo includes a sense of vagueness  and distance; the word itself contains this connotation. The blolo is not associated with any particular direction: it is neither above nor below the earth, nor is it where the dead are buried, though after their sojourn in this world they return there. The blolo is also the source of human life, the place from whence comes each newborn baby. Everyone originally came from the blolo and is never entirely free from relations with the spirits left behind there. Everyone had in the blolo an entire family that can continue to interfere with life after birth. Most often, however, it is the spouse in the other world who causes problems, and a Baule man or woman often has a figure carved to represent and appease his blolo bla, or spirit wife, or blolo bian, spirit husband."

The Kunin maternity is in all likelihood a representation of a spirit spouse and child in the other world, blolo. Discussing a similar maternity figure, Vogel (1990: 187, text to cat. 71) comments: "These spirit wives and husbands [...] are sometimes angry or jealous of earthly lovers, and they can interfere maliciously in the spouse's life. On the recommendation of a diviner, a figure is carved for the spirit to inhabit, so that it can be contacted and appeased, bringing good fortune. [...] The finely carved coiffure and scarification honor the spirits by depicting them as good memmbers of the community."

With its joyful facial expression and uplifting presence, the Kunin maternity is strikingly animated. Its finely worn honey brown surface with traces of kaolin attests to long ritual use in situ.