Standing female figure (blolo bla)

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONThis realistic female figure functioned as an “otherworld mate” for a Baule man. These figures do not represent a deceased mate, but rather a spirit mate who remains in the “otherworld” when one is born.WHERE WAS IT MADE?This was made in the Ivory Coast, in a Baule community.HOW WAS IT MADE?The figure was carved from wood by a commissioned wood carver.HOW WAS IT USED?Figures of this type, called blolo bla (if female) and blolo bia (if male), are physical representations of one’s “other-world mate.” In Baule thought, the blolo, or “other-world,” is a world that exists in contrast to the world of physical reality. The need for a blolo bia or blolo bla is signaled by misfortunes, which are usually sexual in nature. If a man is having difficulty finding a spouse, or a woman is having trouble conceiving, it may indicate that the spirit mate is angry or jealous. In order to appease the spirit mate, a diviner will recommend that the individual experiencing difficulties commission an artist to carve a blolo bia or blolo bla. One night per week, a Baule individual sleeps with the otherworld mate, visits the mate in his or her dreams, and makes a small offering to the figure in the morning.WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?Whereas Baule women tend to commission figures dressed in fashionable clothing, men more often prefer nude figures. This figure embodies Baule feminine beauty. Notice the neatly combed coiffure and prominent ears for earrings (now missing); these demonstrate a woman’s capacity for careful bodily maintenance. Other body parts emphasize widely-held aesthetic ideals: the long ringed neck exaggerates the Baule preference for fleshy and strong necks; the substantial thighs and rounded buttocks suggest a woman’s ability to perform hard work; and the protruding navel on a rounded abdomen is favored in many parts of Africa.To see the other blolo figures in the Johnson Museum’s collection, search for these object numbers in the keyword search box: 82.114.007, 89.015.039, and 92.005.070.