standing female figure

unrecorded Guro artist, artist

standing female figure, late 1800s–1982

Where object was made: Côte d'Ivoire

Material/technique: wood; carving; staining

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 34.5 x 11 x 13 cm
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 13 9/16 x 4 5/16 x 5 1/8 in

Credit line: Gift of Larry W. Welling

Accession number: 2007.3132

Not on display

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Label texts

Roots and Journeys: Encountering Global Arts and Cultures

Once worshipped in domestic shrines, these two spirit figures embody denizens of the Other World. Because the Guro believe that a bloblo bla, or spirit wife, can cause inferitility if angered, her carved likeness was lavished with gifts, praise, and attention. The Igbo spirit figure may represent the earth goddess Ala, who has similarly androgynous features and holds a curved machete similar in form to the blade-like headdress on this statue.

Exhibition Label:
"Roots and Journeys: Encountering Global Arts and Cultures," Jun-2013, Cassandra Mesick
Once worshipped in domestic shrines, these two spirit figures embody denizens of the Other World. Because the Guro believe that a bloblo bla, or spirit wife, can cause inferitility if angered, her carved likeness was lavished with gifts, praise, and attention. The Igbo spirit figure may represent the earth goddess Ala, who has similarly androgynous features and holds a curved machete similar in form to the blade-like headdress on this statue.

Exhibition Label:
"For Life's Sake: Arts from Africa," Oct-1983, Reinhild Kauenhoven Janzen
Baule men have spirit wives and Baule women have spirit husbands. A person's spirit spouse "remains in the other world when he is born into this world." When sexual or reproductive malfunctions occur, the spirit lover is held to be responsible. The artist who was comissioned to carve this spirit wife rendered with great care a woman's facial and body scarification patterns, her complex plaited coiffure, her armrings, legrings, loincloth and even the decoration of her pantouffles. All of these details are indicators of the beauty, rank and individuality of someone's ideal spirit wife. The wide open eyes, outlined in white for greater emphasis, compel communication with the beholder.