Baule. Figure of a Monkey, possibly for Mbra, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, pigment, sacrificial material, 22 x 5 1/4 x 7 3/4 in. (55.9 x 13.3 x 19.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Carll H. de Silver Fund, 2001.48. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 2001.48_threequarter_PS9.jpg)
Baule. Figure of a Monkey, possibly for Mbra, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, pigment, sacrificial material, 22 x 5 1/4 x 7 3/4 in. (55.9 x 13.3 x 19.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Carll H. de Silver Fund, 2001.48. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2001.48_front_bw.jpg)
Baule. Figure of a Monkey, possibly for Mbra, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, pigment, sacrificial material, 22 x 5 1/4 x 7 3/4 in. (55.9 x 13.3 x 19.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Carll H. de Silver Fund, 2001.48. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2001.48_threequarter_bw.jpg)
Figure of a Monkey, possibly for Mbra
Arts of Africa
Mbra figures are carved in the form of a baboon. They are meant to serve as a means of contacting a spirit force. The spirit is believed to possess an individual and assist that person in divining the future. The baboon form is meant to shock, intimidate, and impress with the power of the wild. To honor the spirit, offerings of blood, eggs and millet beer are made to the figure, producing the encrusted surface of this piece.
- Possible place made: Lacs, N’zi Comoe, Côte d'Ivoire
- Possible place made: Valle du Bandama Region, Côte d'Ivoire
