PORTE, BAULÉ, CÔTE D'IVOIRE |

Porte, Baulé, Côte d'Ivoire

Société des Missions Africaines (SMA), Lyon, ca. 1925 
Patrick Girard, Lyon, ca. 1980
Collection privée, Paris, acquis ca. 1980

New Haven, Yale University Art Gallery, Baule: African Art, Western Eyes, 30 août 1997 – 4 janvier 1998 / Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, 14 février – 10 mai 1998 / New York, Museum for African Art, 11 septembre 1998 – 3 janvier 1999  / Washington D.C., Smithsonian, 7 février 1999 – 9 mai 1999
Paris, Musée Dapper, Animal, 11 octobre 2007 – 31 juillet 2008
Chartres, Musée des Beaux Arts, L'art ancestral de l'afrique occidentale au temps de Noël Ballay, 29 mai - 26 septembre 2010

Vogel, Baule : African Art, Western Eyes, 1997, p.99
Bouttiaux, "Animals in the Sculptural Arts of Africa" / "Les animaux dans les arts plastiques de l'Afrique", Tribal Art Magazine, n° 47, Hiver 2007, p.90, n° 1
Falgayrettes – Leveau et alii, Animal, 2007, p. 166
Berthelier, Bihouée et Blanchard, L'art ancestral de l'afrique occidentale au temps de Noël Ballay, p. 116

Good condition overall. The door is broken and glued back in 3 places. One crack on the right runs the entire height of the door. Another one in the middle runs along the upper part of the door and the last one the bottom left. Traces of glue on the rear. Carvings and sculptures on the front of the panel are very well preserved and the patina is deep with a large variety of brown tones.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Acquise au début du siècle cette porte Baulé s'affirme comme l'un des témoins archaïques de ce corpus extrêmement rare. Pour sa beauté formelle et l'épure de son décor naturaliste elle fut choisie par Susan Vogel afin de représenter cette esthétique dans son fameux ouvrage Baule : African Art, Western Eyes.