Exceptional Baulé sculptural ensemble. Made of carved and polychrome wood with the addition of plant fibers, on a rectangular base. It depicts the theme of slavery through a scene in which a rider appears, in a clearly dominant and controlling position, holding and pulling a rope that is tied to the arms of a female figure, in a subordinate position; both her pose and posture indicate that she is captive. It is a composition with a strong symbolic charge, a historical reference to the slave trade. These types of sculptures usually have a cultural or ceremonial purpose, created to tell a story, commemorate a historical event or serve as an educational object within a community.
The scene is composed of the rider, the standing female figure, and the element that unites both characters: a thick rope.
The rider is dressed in a uniform and cap, and would be an officer or colonial soldier. He has a stylized design, a large head with accentuated facial features and a simplified body, where the decorative details of the uniform stand out, as well as the headdress covering his head. The horse, carved with vertical lines that evoke hair or texture, has a simplified but recognizable form, with an arched neck and short legs. Both figures were painted in reddish and white tones based on vegetable pigments; evident remains remain on the rider, and the white remains on the black face are very striking, highlighting the eyes. The horse retains much of its polychrome intact, and the eyes outlined in white (kaolin) also stand out.
The woman follows the traditional Baule aesthetic: refined, serene and solemn, with sweetness in her expression and delicacy of form. The head is the focus of the artist's greatest effort: a face with a high, clear forehead, almond-shaped eyes with very arched and prominent eyebrows, half-closed eyelids, a thin nose and a small, pouty mouth, as well as facial scarifications. The hairstyle deserves special attention and helps to enhance the beauty of the face, a large bun or central crest from which fine streaks that reproduce the hair extend on both sides. The naked body, designed in the shape of a cylinder, with a bulging abdomen and marked navel, rests on small, plump, slightly bent legs, the arms back, the hands joined and held by a rope, in a position of submission, which at the same time exudes dignity.
The rope is a very powerful visual element, the connecting thread of the scene, which unites both characters. In African art, ropes or chains often represent subjugation, control, or slavery, a symbol of oppression.
The structure is supported by a solid, thick base decorated with geometric patterns.
A noteworthy aspect of this piece is that it brings together two genres within Baulé sculpture: On the one hand, traditional sculpture, which stands out for the exquisiteness of its forms, with images treated like pieces of goldsmithery, as in the case of the female figure. On the other hand, there is the figure of the colonist, which belongs to a genre characterized by representing characters who embody the official functions of the former colonists: judges, doctors, military personnel, as well as Africans who work for Europeans in the army (as in this case) were "Europeanized Africans," the so-called évolués.
This genre gained popularity after World War II and after decolonization. It is argued that it originated as a response to colonization and repression by colonial states; it emerged in West Africa, with the most significant examples found among the Baulé people. Some anthropologists claim that in addition to ornamental and didactic uses, these figures may have had a ritual function.
