A wooden sculpture - Yoruba - Nigeria

Yoruba Covered Vessel - Ekiti Region, Nigeria, attributed to Olowe of Ise, before 1930. This two-part, carved wooden vessel has a wide, almost hemispherical shape. Its surface is completely covered with geometric chip-carved patterns and densely composed reliefs. Several fully sculpted figures emerge from the lid: horsemen, standing figures, and other narrative groups are arranged around a frontally depicted face with large, closed eyes. The strong layering of relief and free-floating sculpture creates a dynamic, almost scenic surface. Dark brown patina, abrasion, and occasional pigment residues underscore the vessel's used character. Richly carved covered vessels are particularly well-known from the Yoruba region of Ekiti. A closely related type is documented for the important carver Areogun of Osi-Ilorin; his covered bowls combine geometric decoration with densely arranged human figures and religious attributes. Depending on the context, such containers could hold ritual implements, offerings, or kola nuts. Other Ekiti vessels were associated with Ifá deity. The complex iconography of the present piece suggests a ceremonial significance, but neither individual deities nor a specific cultic function should be identified without a confirmed provenance. Literature (selection): Kevin Carroll: Yoruba Religious Carving. London 1967. Henry J. Drewal / John Pemberton III / Rowland Abiodun: Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought. New York 1989. Roslyn Adele Walker: Olowe of Ise: A Yoruba Sculptor to Kings. Washington 1998. Some of the information and photos are generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history documents. All information and photos are protected by copyright. Inv. No. MAZ28179 Informant: Doku

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