Figure of a Monkey, possibly for Mbra
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Object Label
Mbra figures are carved in the form of a baboon. They are meant to serve as a means of contacting a spirit force. The spirit is believed to possess an individual and assist that person in divining the future. The baboon form is meant to shock, intimidate, and impress with the power of the wild. To honor the spirit, offerings of blood, eggs and millet beer are made to the figure, producing the encrusted surface of this piece.
Caption
Baule. Figure of a Monkey, possibly for Mbra, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, pigment, sacrificial material, 22 x 5 1/4 x 7 3/4 in. (55.9 x 13.3 x 19.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Carll H. de Silver Fund, 2001.48.
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Culture
Title
Figure of a Monkey, possibly for Mbra
Date
late 19th or early 20th century
Geography
Possible place made: Lacs, N’zi Comoe, Côte d'Ivoire, Possible place made: Valle du Bandama Region, Côte d'Ivoire
Medium
Wood, pigment, sacrificial material
Classification
Dimensions
22 x 5 1/4 x 7 3/4 in. (55.9 x 13.3 x 19.7 cm)
Credit Line
Carll H. de Silver Fund
Accession Number
2001.48
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