Seated female Bete figure, Ivory Coast 19th -... Lot 12

Seated female Bete figure, Ivory Coast 19th - early 20th century Wood, pigment - Missing arm - Restoration Height: 44 cm Provenance: Acquired from Yves Créhalet, Paris on February 7, 2011 Patrick Varnier, Paris, France In Bété country, standing statues are a rarity. Fascinating, captivating and intriguing, they remain mysterious. According to the limited fieldwork carried out, first by Denise Paulme in 1962, then in 1968 by Bohumil Holas, the statuary was only used in the Gagnoa region, not far from the Gagu and Guro countries: one was found near Ouragahio (Verger- Fèvre in Barbier-Barbier, 1993, vol. I, p. 90). The fact that it exists only in the cult area of Gagnoa would explain the stylistic similarities with the statuary of its Guro neighbors (Fischer and Homberger 1985, p. 228). Exclusively feminine, Bété statuary is, according to Holas, the representation of a deceased grandmother. This effigy, "the receptacle of the living fluid" of the deceased, was kept by her closest relative. "It was sometimes replaced by a wood-carved figurine, called a kouéi or yousrokpo, depending on the fraction. This latter case, however, is rare among the Bété" (Holas, L'image du monde bété, 1968). Honoring the woman, commemorating her image, her importance, receptacle of the between two worlds, that of the living and the beyond, this work is imbued with a deep, solemn dignity, reinforced by the seated, balanced stature of the figure, whose features suggest quietude, peace and serenity. The majesty of the embodied figure, revealed in his gestures, the hand delicately resting on the knee, in his refined finery suggesting his status: bracelets, triangular necklace, scarified belt around the umbilicus, sophisticated headdress made up of triangular engravings. The soft, rounded contours of her shoulders, biceps and calves lend a fluid harmony to the whole. The oval face, with its idealized naturalistic features, meticulously drawn, testifies to the sculptor's high degree of technical skill. The closed, drooping eyes suggest interiority. The triangular nose in relief, the mouth with thin lips sketches a benevolent smile. A rare and beautiful example, with a deep black patina that matches the strength of dignity and serenity that emanates from this work. In 1964, William Fagg included the Bété female statue from the Musée des Civilisations de Côte d'Ivoire (inv. N° 50.2.229). In the accompanying catalog, Fagg stresses the "paucity of information about [the Bété]" and "the rarity of classified specimens of their art" (Fagg, Afrique. 100 tribus, 100 chefs-d'oeuvre, 1964, p. 18).