BAOULÉ, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. - Lot 219

BAOULÉ, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. Scepter featuring a slender handle, punctuated by a relief and incised decoration composed of concentric motifs, alternating dotted lines and bevels. The top part is carved with the head of a humanized bull-man, the mouth transforming into an open animal mouth. The face, facing the sky, features a long, straight nose, half-closed eyes and an interiorized expression. The whole is topped by a thick sagittal crest with stepped lateral braids, reinforcing the object's verticality and sculptural presence. Hardwood, old brown patina. Small chip at the tip of the lower jaw. The top head can be likened to the Bonu Amuin mask, an emblematic figure in the Baule repertoire, associated with the protection of villages, the fertility of harvests and the warding off of harmful influences. The scepter's pronounced verticality and symbolic treatment suggest a ceremonial or statutory use, although no precise function can be stated with certainty.