'Colonial' Missionaries

This pair of ‘colonial’ missionary sculptures originates from the Baule community in Ivory Coast. Such figures traditionally represented a person whose invisible counterpart was thought to exist in a parallel universe. Women would ask wood carvers to create sculptures of their ideal spouses, which would often embody European characteristics. These statues would help the women relate with their ideal spouse. These two figures weigh just over 420 grams and are 30cm (12”) tall.