"Large Mystical Husband Statue "bloblo Bian" Baoulé Ivory Coast"
Large male statue of mystical husband “Bbloblo bian”Baoulé Ivory Coast, circa 1950/1960
Standing male character, bearded, crest hairstyle, both hands framing the navel, symbolic representation of a husband from the afterlife
. Patinated wood (partial wear and tear to the patina)
Excl. 74cm
- €590 -
The blolo is a universe parallel to ours, invisible to ordinary mortals. Every individual, man or woman, has been married there, from birth, to their “mystical spouse”, their “real” spouse, who has the privilege of “permanence” in relation to the earthly spouse. If a man experiences sexual problems, the soothsayer decrees that his mystical partner is jealous of his misbehavior and wants revenge. To calm her down, a female statuette must be sculpted, a blolo bla, the human-shaped cabin of the mystical spouse. If a woman has miscarriages, is infertile, etc., the diviner will ask for the sculpture of a male statuette, a blolo bian, a human symbol of her mystical spouse. The statuette, blolo bla or blolo bian, placed in the room, wrapped in a cloth, must be honored and nourished. One day a week, the earthly spouse must have lunch alone to be intimate with his blolo bla or blolo bian. Even married, one night a week, you have to sleep alone with your statuette. Erotic dreams would ensue... The majority of blolo bla and blolo bian have their hands on the abdomen, near the navel, to emphasize the importance of the transmission of life. They sometimes have a sex cover. Some blolo bla have their hands behind their backs to highlight the breasts, also the source of the lineage. Some blolo bian have a beard, often held by two clasped hands. In Baoulé statuary, the blolo bla and blolo bian are sometimes difficult to distinguish from the asiè usu, the spirits of the bush, whose statuettes have a similar conformation.
Sources: Alain-Michel BOYER, BAULE, Editions 5 Continents, 2008 Alain-Michel BOYER, THE ARTS OF AFRICA, Editions Hazan, 2007
http://www.quai-favieres-antiquites.com/
Le Magazine de PROANTIC
TRÉSORS Magazine
Rivista Artiquariato