Big female bowl bearer "arugba shango" ·  Nigeria, Yoruba, Igbomina · ID: 3036536

Description

wood, encrusted reddish brown patina, remains of kaolin and indigo blue pigment, blue glassbead necklace, arms and upper part of the body overlong, the breasts especially emphasized, the face with accentuated features frank and with a friendly expression extended towards the beholder, missing parts through insect caused damage (right arm, left breast, dish), breakage (right wrist), abrasion of paint;
such large bowl-carrying figures were the principal sculpture found on “shango” shrines in Igbomina and Ekiti towns. In the bowl the devotees keep neolithic celts, thought to be the thunderbolts which “shango” hurls in judgement upon those who do not acknowledge his authority in their lives. “Shango” represents the protective deity of the kings of old Oyo kingdom.

The object Big female bowl bearer “arugba shango” with the object ID 3036536 was last part of the auction 76th tribal art auction at March 22, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 479 achieved a sales price of EUR 10,000.

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Comparing literature

Homberger, Lorenz (Hg.), Yoruba, Zürich 1991, p. 27, ill. 33 Drewal, Henry John & John Pemberton, Yoruba, New York 1989, p. 153, ill. 167