Baule Carved Marriage Door

$1,795.00

Baule Carved Marriage Door

– Depicting a male and female carved facial figures and

a male and female bird drinking from a shared bowl.

Dimensions -148 cm (H) 63 cm (W)

Due to the size of this item, please contact us to arrange a freight quote

 

In stock

Description

Baule Carved Marriage Door

The Baule people believe that in addition to the world of the living,

there is a spirit world that runs parallel. In it each man and woman

has a spirit mate which can be called upon to assist in the real world.

If one has problems succeeding in life then a wooden statue called a

“spirit figure” or “spirit spouse” can be carved that embodies this spirit.

Baule carving traditions embrace embellished functional objects,

mask forms that enhance performances and sculptures that facilitate

relations with the spirit world. Wooden doors known as anuan, adorned

with human, animal, and vegetal motifs were once produced by Baule

carvers to embellish entrances to public and private spaces such as courtyards

and rest houses. The carvers used the rectangular surface of the doors as canvases

to elaborate in low or high relief scenes that are either purely decorative,

or that allude to proverbs and myths.