Young warrior statue — Baoulé, Côte d’Ivoire — African tribal art — Ref. X26

Description

This wooden sculpture comes from the Baoulé people, located in central Côte d’Ivoire, known for refined and symbolic art. It represents a standing young man, with half-closed eyes and a serene face, holding a small sword in one hand and a shield in the other, rare elements in Baoulé iconography but linked to protection and courage. The bell-shaped ribbed headdress, topped with a pointed summit, recalls ceremonial hairstyles worn by tutelary spirits or idealised figures of the spiritual world. The body, stylised in vertical ringed strata, could symbolise ritual protection or codified ceremonial clothing. The whole testifies to a high level of stylistic mastery, with a homogeneous old patina and visible but stable age cracks. No metal or pigment addition is observable.

Technical details

Type of piece

Statue

Category

Statues

Ethnic group

Baoulé

Country

Côte d’Ivoire

Materials

wood

Dimensions

H 72 × W 24 × D 27 cm

Weight

8,3 kg

Estimated dating

second half 20th c.

Laboratory test

Not tested

Reference

X26