Figural Staff c. late 19th century

Editor: This is the Figural Staff, a wood carving by a Baule artist dating to the late 19th century. It’s quite striking, almost severe in its verticality. The carved figure lends it a strange, ethereal quality. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It hums with a quiet power, doesn’t it? For me, it’s about the stories etched in the wood, literally. These staffs weren’t mere walking sticks. Imagine it carried in ceremony, each twist and curve speaking volumes about status, maybe even lineage. I wonder, does the figure at the top seem benevolent or authoritative to you? Editor: I initially felt it was more authoritarian, maybe because of the staff’s overall imposing form, but now that you mention it, there’s a kind of watchful benevolence in the face. The detailing is intricate! Curator: Exactly! Baule carving often uses symbolism. What do you think that twisting pattern might suggest? Consider what spirals often represent - journeys, transformations. These details become clues to understanding the person or the role the staff represents. Art is like a treasure map of meaning if you let it be. What stories does it whisper to you? Editor: It whispers about balance, I think. Authority tempered by guidance, a spiraling path upwards, but with that human figure as a reminder of where you started. I'd never thought a "stick" could say so much. Curator: (Laughing softly) And therein lies the magic. What began as simply a tree becomes a profound meditation on life itself! The Baule artist transformed the mundane to convey deeply resonant concepts of authority and social equilibrium. A fascinating artifact. Editor: It really is. It gives new meaning to "walking the walk," doesn't it?