Object Details
- Label Text
- Baule men and women commission ideal figures to be their spirit spouses. A Baule man shows his respect for his otherworld wife with this elegant figure so she will not interfere with or cause problems in his earthly life. Repeated handling may have contributed to its rich, smooth surface. The intricate patterns raised along its torso, the elaborate coiffure and the carefully composed features all indicate it represents someone of esteem.
- Description
- Standing female figure on a round plinth with a white glass bead necklace and anklets.
- Provenance
- William Arnett, Atlanta, -- to ca. 1980
- Toby and Barry Hecht, Bethesda, Maryland, 1980 to 2000
- Exhibition History
- African Mosaic: Celebrating a Decade of Collecting, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2010-November 13, 2013 (deinstalled October 31, 2013)
- Black Womanhood: Images, Icons, and Ideologies of the African Body, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth, New Hampshire, April 1-August 10, 2008, Davis Museum, Wellesley College, September 17-December 14, 2008, San Diego Museum of Art, January 31-April 26, 2009
- From Baga to Yoruba: Treasures of African Art, Saginaw Art Museum, Saginaw, Michigan, November 5, 2006-January 28, 2007
- Recent Acquisitions 2001, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., May 6-October 7, 2001
- Published References
- Smithsonian Affiliations. 2007. "Treasures of African Art Showcased in Saginaw." The Affiliate 7 (1), p. 1.
- https://affiliations.si.edu/images/forms/THEAFFILIATE_SP2007.pdf
- Thompson, Barbara. 2008. Black Womanhood: Images, Icons, and Ideologies of the African Body. Hanover: Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College with Seattle: University of Washington Press, no. 5.
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Data Source
- National Museum of African Art
- Maker
- Baule artist
- Date
- Mid-20th century
- Credit Line
- Gift from the collection of Toby and Barry Hecht
- Medium
- Wood, glass beads, plant fiber
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 43.1 x 7.7 x 11.1 cm (16 15/16 x 3 1/16 x 4 3/8 in.)
- Type
- Figure
