Baule Blolo or Spirit Spouse Figure

A flat cap banded in blue, and suddenly he looks like a man with a schedule.

This eleven-inch Baule figure from Ivory Coast, carved in the 20th century, represents a spirit spouse dressed in the clothing of its day. The Baule believe each person has a partner in a parallel spirit world, and such figures helped keep that bond in good order. The face and shirt are red, the suspenders carved in relief, the trousers black above black shoes on a red round base. The paint is heavily worn and powdery, and the brim of the cap is chipped.

Punctual, presumably.