Jean-Jacques Rotthier Collection (1932–2009), Brussels, then by descent

This impressive pair of figures was created for divinatory practices. Their idealized beauty was intended to provide a desirable abode for an asye usu, a nature spirit, and encourage it to inhabit the sculptures. The figures embody Baule ideals of beauty through their elegant coiffures, refined scarifications, and carefully rendered ornaments. Their downcast gazes, composed postures, and powerful legs combine dignity with youthful vitality. Preserved in remarkable condition, the figures retain their original surface and traces of their polychromy. Unlike many early-collected Baule sculptures, they have not been subsequently polished or artificially darkened.