Effigy asiè usu Baoulé Côte-d'Ivoire Wood H.:... Lot 172

Effigy asiè usu Baoulé Côte-d'Ivoire Wood H.: 31 cm. Male statuette sitting on a stool, with a body covered with ngole keloids. The hands resting on the bulbous abdomen, frame the navel. The face has classical features: arched eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, straight nose, mouth carried forward and prolonged by a goatee, called akenza tenden. Less frequent than standing statues, those representing a seated man always concern asiè usu. They are hideous geniuses who become merciful if they are honored, while remaining unpredictable. To absorb their power, they are made to reside temporarily in a work of art. The effigy imposes itself as a sublimation of the wild forces of nature. Sitting on a chair gives this fickle spirit in the bush the evidence of stability. Antique, authentic object. Consultant : Jean-Pierre LACOSTE