A diviner's couple tasé, Tusyan or Turka, Bobo-Dioulasso, village Banfora, in seating position with large feet, prominent buttocks, the male has well emphasized genitals, both sculptures have a convex curved torso with a pointed navel, which is surrounded by radially arranged scarification marks, elongated bent arms carved beside the torso, flattened rectangular shoulders, the female has conical breasts with linear scarification patterns, both have a cylindrical neck supporting an oval head with a protruding lower jaw, a slightly open mouth beneath a triangular nose, the eyes are formed only as an incision in the face, large hemispherical ears, further scarification marks on the face; brown encrusted patina, traces of age and ritual use, several cracks.

"Tasé are only publicly displayed during Grand Lo initiation, occurring every forty years, at which all Tusyan diviners gather. During their days of the exposure for the duration of the initiation the diviners wives continually and assiduously brush over the figures with fly whisks to prevent pollutants from contact with the sacred and maintain the spiritual purity of the figures."
Lit.: Christopher D. Roy/Thomas G.B. Wheelock: Land of the Flying Masks. Art and Culture in Burkina Faso. The Thomas G. B. Wheelock Collection, Prestel 2007, p. 426.

900 - 1.200,- Euro

Height: 54 cm / 55 cm
Weight: 3,1 kg / 2,8 kg