A Baule maternity, Ivory Coast, collected in the region of Yamoussoukro, provenance Bakari Bouaflé, Abidjan,

The Baule maternity figure—commonly referred to as a waka sran, or “wooden person”—is a deeply symbolic and spiritually charged object within Baule culture. Originating in the region of Yamoussoukro, these sculptures are not simply artistic representations of motherhood but serve as vessels through which invisible spiritual forces are honored and engaged.

Carved from dense wood and finished with a lustrous patina, these figures typically depict a seated woman nursing or holding a child. Her symmetrical, serene features—arched brows, downcast eyes, and closed lips—are the embodiment of composure, a core Baule virtue. Scarification marks and elaborately coiffed hair indicate high social standing and cultural beauty standards. The presence of the child emphasizes fertility, lineage, and the nurturing role of the mother, making the figure a powerful emblem of generational continuity.

Maternity figures are often used in shrines, particularly as blolo bla (spirit wives) or asye usu (bush spirits), and are sometimes consulted for protection, healing, or fertility. They act as mediators between the visible and invisible worlds, and their formal qualities are crafted not just to please human eyes but to attract and house spiritual entities.

In her seminal book Baule: African Art, Western Eyes, Susan M. Vogel explains:

“Baule sculptures of this kind are not simply objects of art. They are visualizations of the invisible—mediators between worlds. Their beauty is not incidental but essential: the Baule believe that spirits are attracted to beauty and order. The calm, contained posture of the figure, the delicate features, and the lustrous surface are not only aesthetic traits but necessary attributes that allow the sculpture to function spiritually. To Western eyes, these may seem like portraits, but to the Baule, they are idealized vessels through which spiritual communication is made possible.”

— Susan M. Vogel, “Baule: African Art, Western Eyes” (1997).

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Height: 50 cm
Weight: 1,5 kg