Prestige stool ·  Nigeria, Yoruba, Ketu · ID: 3036770

Description

wood, polychrome painted, nails, round base, separate worked caryatid figures supporting the seat, equestrian with fly whisk in the centre, surrounded by accompanying figures arranged in a circle (two musicians and two female figures), completed by two ornamental pierced pillars and two pillars in shape of stylized snakes (rainbow serpent “oshumare”), old collection label at the bottom “Dahomey Fetish Stool”, slightly dam., cracks, rep. (forearms of one of the flute players, ornamental pierced pillar), minor missing parts (rim of the seat), abrasion of paint, seat undulatingly warped, slightly instable;
a stool is always a symbol of higher social rank and expresses the power “ase” and the character “iwa” of its owner. The figural arrangements show scenes of the principals life.

Comparing literature

Homberger, Lorenz (Hg.), Yoruba, Zürich 1991, p. 29