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View at the museum ↗Dance Staff
BauleLate 19th/early 20th century
- Attribution
- Baule Côte d'Ivoire Coastal West Africa
- Medium
- Wood, kaolin, and pigment
- Physical dimensions
- H.: 29.9 cm (11 3/4 in.)
- Credit line
- Edward E. Ayer Endowment in memory of Charles L. Hutchinson
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Two distinct sculptural forms appear in this unusual Baule carving, which may have been used during dance performances. Similar miniature renderings of animal-shaped helmet masks often decorate weavers’ pulleys. The twisted stem, on the other hand, is typically seen on the mallets used by diviners to strike an iron gong and initiate a trance. The combination of these types both demonstrates the maker’s skills and attests to the owner’s refined taste.
Description: Art Institute of Chicago · CC BY 4.0