The perfect bodies, glowing skin, and composed expressions of these Baule sculptures were intended to flatter a troublesome spouse—from the spirit world. Before birth, souls live in another world, where they may be married. When a person marries in our world, a jealous spirit spouse can cause arguments or infertility. A man or woman who suspects a spiritual cause of such problems will commission a beautiful sculpture from an accomplished artist. The sculpture is then consecrated as a place for the spirit spouse to dwell, and kept covered in a private part of the home. Despite beautiful details, such as the complex hairstyle on the spirit wife or the delicate facial markings on the figures, only one living person and a spirit would have enjoyed each of these artworks.