Baule artists, with their attention to detail and
great sense of stylization, have produced some
of the most elegant objects of all African art.
This pair of bronze sculptures, memorializing a
royal couple, is a testament to the beauty of
Baule art. Both stand with their legs spread
apart, knee just slightly bent, characteristic of
the Baule sculptural style. The woman carries a
small child on her back who tightly clings to her,
suggesting that she is fertile, the ultimate quality
of a woman in African cultures. Raised
scarifications visible on their torsos, arms, and
faces are also hallmarks of Baule art. Their
fantastic coiffures both enhance their beauty as
well as suggest their high social rank, for only
wealthy individuals had the spare time it would
take to craft such hair styles. As much as their
physical features testify to their elite rank,
perhaps the greatest indication of there status is
simply the material: bronze. Surely anyone less
than a royal couple would be memorialized in
wood. Both the inherent value of the metal and
the technical sophistication of the casting
process suggest that these figures are highly
important individuals.
- (PF.6312)
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