Head

The Baule produced sculptural works as much for aesthetic appreciation as for ritual purposes. This ivory pendant portraying a head is reminiscent of the cast gold pendants in the form of a human face. Important men and women wore pendants as hair ornaments, suspended them from necklaces, or attached them to caps. This example has a suspension loop at the base of head. The most consistent feature of Baule art and one expressed across a wide variety of objects is a kind of peaceful containment (Vogel.1997:28). Characteristically, sculpture shows downcast eyes and a mouth, carved as a closed boxy form (Ibid). The Baule continue to cherish these pendants as family heirlooms and wear them on significant occasions, such as the installation of a chief, and at receptions for local and foreign dignitaries.

The Baule’ came to the territory they now occupy in the eighteenth century, an area previously the home of the Guro; traces of the original Guro style can be found in many Baule’ works, especially in the mask.

Entry written for VADS website (https://vads.ac.uk)