The Yoruba of West Africa (Benin, Nigeria and Togo, with migrant communities in parts of Ghana and Sierra Leone) are responsible for a distinct artistic tradition in Africa, a tradition that remains vital and influential today.[1]
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Yoruba artwork has played a significant role throughout history and continues to do so now due to the traditional practices and the cultural significance the sculptures hold. Much of the art of the Yoruba, including staffs, court dress, and beadwork for crowns, is associated with the royal courts. The courts also commissioned numerous architectural objects such as veranda posts, gates, and doors that are embellished with carvings. Other Yoruba art is related shrines and masking traditions. The Yoruba worship a large pantheon of deities, and shrines dedicated to these gods are adorned with carvings and house an array of altar figures and other ritual paraphernalia. Masking traditions vary regionally, and a wide range of mask types are employed in various festivals and celebrations.[2]
History edit
In the period around 1300 CE the artists at Ife developed a refined and naturalistic sculptural tradition in terracotta, stone and copper alloy—copper, brass, and bronze— many of which appear to have been created under the patronage of King Obalufon II, the man who today is identified as the Yoruba patron deity of brass casting, weaving and regalia.[3] The art of Yoruba advanced profoundly when King Obalufon II commissioned many pieces when he came into power after the violent civil war of the 13th century in Ile Ife.
There have been a series of Yoruba kingdoms over the past nine centuries. Among them were Ile-Ife, Oyo, Lagos (Eko), Abueokuta, Ipokia, Ibadan, Ijebu-Ode, Iwo, and Akure Ife was one of the earliest of these; Oyo was also early and the Owa kingdom in the southwest maintained close ties to Oyo. Ife also experienced the artistic and cultural influence of Benin dating back to the 14th century or earlier. Owa artists supplied fine ivory work to the court at Benin and Owa royalty adapted and transformed many Benin institutions and the regalia of leadership.[4]
Yoruba kingdoms prospered until the slave trade and warfare of the nineteenth century took their toll. One of the effects of this devastation was the dispersal of millions of Yoruba people all over the world. This resulted in a strong Yoruba character in the artistic, religious and social lives of Africans in the New World.[1]
Timeline edit
Henry Drewal, John Pemberton and Rowland Abiodun propose the following stages in the development of art in Ife:
Art and life in Yoruba culture edit
Through advancing their urban kingdoms and strengthening their economy, the Yoruba have grown to become one of Africa’s largest ethnic groups. The Yoruba had 16 to 20 kingdoms, and the most powerful kingdom was Oyo. Yoruba kingdomship was passed down differently than what is usually seen today. Instead of being passed down to offspring within the current royal family, there must be a voting with a council with all royal families involved. From there, a new ruler is chosen from any of the families.The area that the Yoruba live in is forest, farmland, swamps, lagoons, and woodland savannah. This allowed for the community to thrive and prosper because the Yoruba had different environments to learn and grow from.The Yoruba are known for their amazing craftsmanship which include woodcarving, blacksmithing, weaving, dyeing, spinning cotton, glassmaking, and creating sculptures. Their sculptures are very important for use in their traditional masquerades. Some are made specifically just for certain celebrations. Some of these sculptures become very significant and spiritual and are often passed down to others to continue to be used in Yoruba tradition as well. [7]
The custom of art and artists among the Yoruba is deeply rooted in the Ifá literary corpus, indicating the orishas, Ogun (the god of iron), Obatala (the god of clarity and creativity), Oshun, and Obalufon as central to creation mythology including artistry (i.e. the art of humanity).[citation needed]
In order to fully understand the centrality of art (onà) in Yoruba thought, one must be aware of their cosmology, which traces the origin of existence (ìwà) to a Supreme Divinity called Olódùmarè, the generator of ase, the enabling power that sustains and transforms the universe. To the Yoruba, art began when Olódùmarè commissioned the artist deity Obatala to mold the first human image from clay. Today, it is customary for the Yoruba to wish pregnant women good luck with the greeting: May Obatala fashion for us a good work of art.[8]
The concept of ase influences how many of the Yoruba arts are composed. In the visual arts, a design may be segmented or seriate—a "discontinuous aggregate in which the units of the whole are discrete and share equal value with the other units."[9] Such elements can be seen in Ifa trays and bowls, veranda posts, carved doors, and ancestral masks.
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Ife head, terracotta, probably 12–14th centuries; height: 15.5 cm (6 in.) -
Bust of a king or dignitary; 12th-15th century AD; terracotta; Ethnological Museum of Berlin (Germany); discovered at Ife (Nigeria) -
Brooklyn Museum, Fragment of an Ife Head -
Ceremonial Ivory vessel -
Decorated Panel Door -
Female figure from Oke-Onigbin, Shango shrine. -
Head, probably of a king; 12th-14th century; terracotta; 26.7 × 14.5 × 18.7 cm (10.5 × 5.7 × 7.3 in.); Kimbell Art Museum (Fort Worth, Texas, USA) -
Yoruba peoples armlet (16th century)
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Yoruba Style and Aesthetic edit
Although there are no written records found that were made by the early Yoruba people, the many pieces of Yoruba sculpture provides some insight into the values and aesthetic concerns of their culture.
The Yoruba people are often known for their highly naturalistic head sculptures created from materials such as copper, copper alloy, terracotta and brass. These heads often incorporate certain elements that make them recognizably “Yoruba” in style. These features include almond-shaped eyes with no suggestion of a pupil, no facial hair or eyebrows, the simplified shape of an ear, and indented thin lines that run horizontally along the head. Each Yoruba head sculpt is different and may include a variation of these different elements, but these are some general signifiers that makes these Yoruba sculptures more recognizable.
Another feature that is prominent in much of ancient Yoruba art is the unique body proportions that clearly emphasize and deemphasize certain parts of the body. In Ife culture, the head is seen as ones “vital force”[3] and is often proportionally large in depictions of royalty. The size of the head is a signifier of the social standing and power of the person represented. This is why the word “head” (ori) is in the word destiny (ori inu) in the Ife language.
“Destiny (orı, the same etymology), personality (w ́u), character (`ıw`a), and authority (`as̩e̩) all are linked closely to the head”[3] - Suzanne Preston Blier
Another aspect of Yoruba art that is a recognizable signifier for the elite and royalty are the rounded bellies that some of the ancient sculptures carry. This gives the figures a sense of healthiness and fullness which is depicted in many sculptures of Ife Gods and royalty in order to show the wealth of the individual and their supreme status.
“The higher the status (and power) of the individual depicted in Ife art, it seems, the greater the likelihood that body proportions will differ from real life in ways that greatly enhance the size of the head.”[3]
The large belly is further emphasized by the shortness of the legs. More proportional legs are seen in figures depicting servants, warriors, and people suffering from disease. Longer legs and a generally more proportional body seems to be associated with hard workers and people who need a certain amount of energy to do their tasks.
The importance of the Orí in Yoruba art and culture edit
The Orí-Inú, or the inner spiritual head, is very important to the Yoruba people. One's Orí-Inú is very important in terms of existing in the world. The priority goes to the Orí for any household. Thus, shrines are built in the houses. An Orí is visually represented through symbolic items within sacrifice or rituals, or more common in houses, would be terra cotta head figures. The Orí can usually determine the outcome of life for each person. Before being put into earth, each person must select their own Orí. Ajala may sometimes produce bad Orí, which may affect the lives of those people. Sacrifices and rites happen as well in order to satisfy Orí-Isese, which is the supreme ruler over all Orí. The primary functions for sacrifices are to ward off evil and bring in good fortune and happiness.[10]
Anonymity and authorship in African art edit
The issue of anonymity and authorship has long troubled the field of African art history, particularly as it relates to the political disparities between Africa and the West.[11] Such information was, at least initially, rarely sought in the field and deemed unnecessary and even undesirable by many collectors.[2] Susan Mullin Vogel has identified a further paradox. "[I]n their own societies," she writes, "African artists are known and even famous, but their names are rarely preserved in connection with specific works. ... More often than not, the African sculptor becomes virtually irrelevant to the life of the art object once his work is complete. ... Cultures preserve the information they value."[12]
The problem of anonymity in Yoruba art in particular is troubling in the context of Yoruba culture where "it is absolutely imperative for individuals to acknowledge each other's identity and presence from moment to moment, [and where] there is a special greeting for every occasion and each time of day."[13]
Several Yoruba artists' names are known, including:
- Bangboshe of Osi Ilorin
- Bandele Areogun of Osi
- Master of Ikare
- Lamidi Fakeye
- Olowe of Ise
Yoruba Materials in Art edit
The material used for each piece of Yoruba art gives potential insight into the meaning and symbolism of each piece. Early Ife artists seem to use specific mediums for different sculptural subjects. Many pieces depicting thrones, weapons, aquatic animals and some deities are often made of granite or quartz. Most ancient Ife sculptures made with terracotta and copper alloy are believed to be historic figures who later became Gods according to oral tradition. Yoruba castings made using copper or copper alloy are meant to represent royalty. Terracotta is used to make a wider range of subjects including some royals, warriors, healers and court officials.
The Yoruba people often used materials including terracotta, copper, and were especially well known for their use of copper alloy. King Obalufon II is closely associated with this material because he commissioned and promoted the use of copper alloy casting in the 13th century. The use of copper casting and the detail in many of these head sculptures shows the ancient Yoruba peoples remarkable skill and technological sophistication.
Out of all the materials used in ancient Ife art, terracotta has been used to make the most sculptures that we have today, and also cover a wider range of subjects. Subjects such as art, craft, construction, and architecture. Occasionally called "baked earth," terracotta is a clay-based ceramic (unglazed or glazed) with a porous body. The main uses of Terracotta are sculptures, pipes, and bricks.
There are many ancient Ife pieces that are made from quartz which is an especially difficult material to work with. Quartz, like other crystalline materials, is unable to be carved into because it breaks erratically. Therefore, the Ife artists had to work hard grinding down the surface to get the desired smoothness seen on the elegant thrones of ancient Yoruba.
Metal arts edit
Yoruba blacksmiths create sculpture from iron, through hand-beating, welding, and casting. Ogun is honored as the god of iron.[14]
Metalworkers also create brass sculptures by lost-wax casting. Brass is seen as being incorruptible by the Ogboni society.[14]
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Ceremonial axes; 18th century; from Owo (Ondo state, Nigeria); Speed Art Museum (Louisville, Kentucky, USA) -
Ife altar ring,16th century, Brass or Copper alloy -
Male figure; late 19th-early 20th century; cast bronze; Honolulu Museum of Art (Hawaii, USA) -
Pair of staffs (Edan Ogboni), male and female couple; 19th century; cast bronze and iron; Honolulu Museum of Art -
Brass fan (Abebe), one of the ritual objects associated with the Yoruba goddess, Osun -
Ijebu brass bracelet depicting a ram head, 18th century -
Brass arm band or vessel stand, Ijebu, Yoruba, 19th century -
Beaded sword and Sheath, Nigeria, Yoruba people; beads, metal, fabric, coins, brass, cowry shells, leather - Chazen Museum of Art -
Shango ceremonial staff, 19th century, Brooklyn Museum
Ivory and Wood edit
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Arm band, Owo, Yoruba, 18th century AD, ivory - Ethnological Museum, Berlin -
18th century ivory divination tapper (iroke ifa) from the Owo region. Brooklyn Museum -
Ivory vessel cover, Owo, Yoruba, (1700s)18th Century -
Ivory armlets, Yoruba peoples, Owo region of Yorubaland, 16th century. This particular pair may have been part of the Olowo's ceremonial attire -
Ceremonial arm band from Owo 18th century AD, ivory - Ethnological Museum, Berlin -
Ceremonial ivory sword fragment, Udamaloore, Owo,19th century
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Terracotta edit
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Ife terracotta head dating to the 14th century. Heads (Orí) are a very prominent aspect of early Ife artistic forms -
Memorial head with vertical facial striations typical of ife heads, Nigeria, 12th century AD, terracotta - Ethnological Museum, Berlin -
Ife, memorial head of a king or notable with tribal marking/scarification above eyes, terracotta, 12th-15th century
Yoruba Masquerade edit
The tendency in many African cosmologies to identify the body as a vehicle incarnating the soul on earth has encouraged the metaphoric use of the masquerade for a similar purpose. Egúngún, Gelede, and Epa are among the many types of Masquerade practiced by the Yoruba.[citation needed]
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Gelede mask; Museu Afro Brasil (São Paulo, Brazil) -
Mask with 7 birds; 19th-20th century; Detroit Institute of Arts (USA) -
Mask with superstructure and two birds; 19th-20th century; Detroit Institute of Arts -
Headgear; circa 1900-1915; Detroit Institute of Arts -
Carnival mask; circa 1950; Indianapolis Museum of Art (USA) -
Mask; wood; Hood Museum of Art (USA) -
Efe-gelede mask; early 20th century AD; wood, indigo & white pigments; Krannert Art Museum (Illinois, USA) -
The Gelede Masked Festival in Cové, in Benin
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Yoruba Crowns edit
The bead-embroidered crown (ade) with beaded veil, foremost attribute of the Oba, symbolizes the aspirations of a civilization at the highest level of authority. In his seminal article on the topic, Robert F. Thompson writes, "The crown incarnates the intuition of royal ancestral force, the revelation of great moral insight in the person of the king, and the glitter of aesthetic experience."[15]
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Beaded Crown (Ade) of Onijagbo Obasoro Alowolodu; late 19th or early 20th century; basketry frame covered by a stiffened cloth base which is embroidered with glass beads: white, blue, green, pink, red-orange, ochre, and violet; 57.8 x 21.6 cm (diameter) (223⁄4 x 81⁄2 in.); Brooklyn Museum (New York City) -
Yoruba royal ceremonial crown. Ade Nla or Ade Isenbaye. The beaded veil shields the Oba's own face and transforms him into a living embodiment of Odùduwà and the force of the collective ancestors. The birds signify that the Oba is a divine ruler. Half in the physical and half in the spiritual realms just as the birds can traverse both the terrestrial and the celestial. Musée du Quai Branly -
Beaded Oba's royal crown, Indianapolis Museum of Art -
Yoruba 19th century copper alloy (brass) crown from Iperu following the typical Yoruba stem on cone ancestral crown designs. These crowns are used in the veneration of the paternal ancestors of Iperu (Ijebu) kings. The four staring faces represent the all-seeing gods or ancestors. Their protruding eyes signify when the spiritual eye replaces ordinary vision. The two figures with mudfish legs refer to supernatural powers in two realms, land and water, or reality and spirit. -
Royal headdress called Orikogbofo were lighter versions of ancestral crowns, which were often heavy and cumbersome. The orikogbofo fulfilled the function of keeping the Oba's head always covered, for it was taboo for an Oba to be seen bare headed. This style is now popular across southern Nigeria worn by various royals in the region. Remnant tassels of a beaded veil that should completely shield the Oba's face has been extensively reduced to a few convenient strings. -
Yoruba ancestral royal crown (Ade Nla) -
Beaded Crown (Ade) of Onijagbo Obasoro Alowolodu, The Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti; late 19th century; basketry frame, covered with beaded cloth; 95.9 x 24.1 cm (373⁄4 x 91⁄2 in.); Brooklyn Museum
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Alarinjo edit
There is also a vibrant form of customary theatre known as Alarinjo that has its roots in the medieval period and that has given much to the contemporary Nigerian film industry[citation needed]
Esiẹ Museum edit
The museum in Esiẹ, Irepodun (Kwara state), was the first to be established in Nigeria when it opened in 1945. The museum once housed over one thousand tombstone figures or images representing human beings. It is reputed to have the largest collection of soapstone images in the world.[16] Its works of art have also been said to bear resemblances to those of the Nok culture. In modern times, the Esie museum has been the center of religious activities and hosts a festival in the month of April every year. [citation needed]
References edit
- ^ a b Drewal, Henry John; Pemberton III, John; Abiodun, Rowland (1989). Wardwell, Allen (ed.). Yoruba : nine centuries of African art and thought. New York: Center for African Art in Association with H.N. Abrams. ISBN 0-8109-1794-7.
- ^ a b Adande, Joseph; Siegmann, William C.; Dumouchelle, Kevin D. (2009). African art a century at the Brooklyn Museum. Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Museum [u.a.] p. 106. ISBN 978-0-87273-163-9.
- ^ a b c d Blier, Suzanne Preston (2015). Art and Risk in Ancient Yoruba: Ife History, Politics, and Identity c. 1300. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1107021662.
- ^ "Origins and Empire: The Benin, Owo, and Ijebu Kingdoms". The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ Drewal, Henry; Pemberton, John; Abiodun, Rowland (1990). Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought. New York: Center for African Art in association with Harry Abrams Publishers. p. 46.
- ^ Akintoye, S. Adebanji (2014). A History of the Yoruba People. Dakar: Amalion Publishing. pp. 64–65. ISBN 9782359260274.
- ^ Mullen, Nicole (2004). Yoruba Art & Culture. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY
BERKELEY, CA 94720-3712: PHOEBE A. HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND THE
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. pp. 7–13.
{{cite book}}: line feed character in|location=at position 37 (help); line feed character in|publisher=at position 48 (help)CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Clarke, essay by Babatunde Lawal ; exhibition co-curated by Carol Thompson, Christa (2007). Embodying the sacred in Yoruba art : featuring the Bernard and Patricia Wagner Collection. Atlanta, Ga.: High Museum of Art. ISBN 978-1-932543-20-9.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Drewal, M. T., and H. J. Drewal (1987). "Composing Time and Space in Yoruba Art". Word and Image: A Journal of Verbal/Visual Enquiry. 3 (3): 225–251. doi:10.1080/02666286.1987.10435383.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Abiodun, Rowland (2014). Yoruba Art and Language: Seeking the Art in African Art. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
- ^ Picton, John (1994). Rowland Abiọdun; Henry J. Drewal; John Pemberton III (eds.). The Yoruba artist : new theoretical perspectives on African arts ; [based on a 1992 symposium held at the Museum Rietberg Zürich]. Washington [u.a.]: Smithsonian Institution Press. ISBN 1560983396.
- ^ Vogel, Susan Mullin (Spring 1999). "Known Artists by Anonymous Works". African Arts. 32 (1): 40, 42, 50. doi:10.2307/3337537. JSTOR 3337537.
- ^ Abiọdun, Rowland (1994). Rowland Abiọdun; Henry J. Drewal; John Pemberton III (eds.). The Yoruba artist : new theoretical perspectives on African arts ; [based on a 1992 symposium held at the Museum Rietberg Zürich]. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press. ISBN 1560983396.
- ^ a b "Shaping: The Blacksmith." Archived November 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Cutting to the Essence – Shaping for the Fire. 29 March 1995 (retrieved 15 Nov 2011)
- ^ Thompson, Robert F. (1972). Douglas Fraser; Herbert M. Cole (eds.). African art & leadership. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 227–260. ISBN 0299058204.
- ^ "Esie Museum". All Africa. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
External links edit
- Emodying the Sacred in Yoruba Art, Newark Museum
- Nigerian Traditional Arts, Crafts and Architecture
- Yoruban and Akan Art in Wood and Metal, Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences
- For spirits and kings: African art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman collection, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Yoruba art
- "Ibeji Archive". the web-site containing the largest existing collection of photos of Ibeji.