Baoule slingshot
Refinement in African art
The Baoule are known in African art among other things for the care with which they decorated their everyday objects. In addition to the carved doors, drum hammers and loom pulleys, we offer this slingshot surmounted at the ends of a Bonu Amwin mask, it evokes a buffalo head with a large pair of horns, a nose in T shape and a wide rectangular mouth showing the teeth. His stylized features inspired 20th century artists such as Picasso for his stage costumes. This mask is used as our to protect the villages against bad luck and insufficient harvests.
The Baoule borrow elements of their morphology from the animal world. Despite the temptation to recognize the buffalo or the crocodile there, the Baoulé do not consider them as animals but as forces of nature related to virility. The power of these inherently dangerous nature spirits can be channeled. To do this, it is necessary to respect requirements and prohibitions. Capricious creatures by definition, these spirits demand regular sacrifices and find it hard to be neglected. As masks, they are strictly prohibited in the sight of women; however, they are regularly used as decorative elements, especially on this slingshot.
01356
Data sheet
- Presumed dating
- Circa 1940
- Size
- 22 x 7 cm
- Ethnic group
- Material(s)
- Wood
- Country
- Origin
- René Rasmussen collection, Paris
- Stand
- Included
- Condition
- Restored
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Refinement in African art
The Baoule are known in African art among other things for the care with which they decorated their everyday objects. In addition to the carved doors, drum hammers and loom pulleys, we offer this slingshot surmounted at the ends of a Bonu Amwin mask, it evokes a buffalo head with a large pair of horns, a nose in T shape and a wide rectangular mouth showing the teeth. His stylized features inspired 20th century artists such as Picasso for his stage costumes. This mask is used as our to protect the villages against bad luck and insufficient harvests.
The Baoule borrow elements of their morphology from the animal world. Despite the temptation to recognize the buffalo or the crocodile there, the Baoulé do not consider them as animals but as forces of nature related to virility. The power of these inherently dangerous nature spirits can be channeled. To do this, it is necessary to respect requirements and prohibitions. Capricious creatures by definition, these spirits demand regular sacrifices and find it hard to be neglected. As masks, they are strictly prohibited in the sight of women; however, they are regularly used as decorative elements, especially on this slingshot.