Mid 20th Century African Carved Baule Monkey Figure With Ceremonial Bowl and Whitened Face

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A striking carved wooden figure attributed to the Baule people of the Ivory Coast, West Africa, depicting a monkey-like figure … Read more A striking carved wooden figure attributed to the Baule people of the Ivory Coast, West Africa, depicting a monkey-like figure in a standing posture, holding a rounded vessel or offering bowl.

The sculpture features a dramatic skull-like face with deeply recessed eye sockets, a prominent nasal cavity, and individually articulated teeth. The figure's compact body is enveloped in a heavily textured, mottled gray-brown surface, contrasted by the pale, bone-toned face. The hands cradle a shallow, rounded receptacle at the chest, while the feet rest upon a substantial carved base.

The interplay of sculptural detail, pronounced facial features, and weathered-looking surface treatment gives this piece a distinctive, almost otherworldly presence. Its expressive character and unusual combination of anthropomorphic and skeletal elements make it an intriguing example of African-inspired figural sculpture. See less