The Baule excel in a wide variety of artforms known the world over. They produce many types of masks, some realistic and serene, some highly abstract. Their statues, from the elegant, naturalistic "spirit spouses," to the dramatic, menacing and highly sought-after "medicant monkey" figures, show the ranges of creativity inherent among their artists. They are also noted for the elaborate decoration of many everyday objects, from doors, canes and jewelry to heddle pulleys and colorful "colon" statues, carved for the tourist trade since the end of the 19th century.
