Object details
The figures are about 30 x 25 x 7 cm. Excellent antique condition.
The Baule represent one of the most important tribes of the Ivory Coast. Their name is testimony to their birth - according to legend, Queen Awura Pokou led her people on an exodus towards the gold-mining areas during the 17th century and had to cross a river where she was obliged to sacrifice her son to the river god, thus giving her people the name Bauli, "the son is dead". The male descendant of Awura Pokou still lives in the palace she established and is honored by the Baule as their nominal king.
The Baule created art in several media, including gold and bronze casting similar to their Asante ancestors, wooden sculpture, mask and figure carving, which have been greatly influenced by their Senufo and Guro neighbors. With their great sense of stylization and attention to detail, they have produced some of the most elegant objects of all African art.
The basic method of lost-wax casting has been widely practiced on the African continent for centuries. The technique requires extensive knowledge of pottery and metalworking, with careful attention to temperature changes to prevent damage to the clay mold or metal sculpture.