Kneeling female figure "olúmèye" with bowl in shape of a bird
Nigeria, Yoruba, Ekiti
n'est plus disponible
Provenance
Loudmer, Paris, Arts Primitifs, 27/28 June 1991, lot 127Michel Gaud, Saint Tropez, France
Luc Berthier, Paris, France
Sotheby’s, Paris, 15 June 2004, lot 145
Taille
H: 31,5 cm
B: 28 cm
H: 12.4 inch
B: 11.0 inch
Description
wood, reddish brown shiny patina, white pigment, richly adorned with geometrical ornaments, the bird holding two interwined snakes in the beak, without lid (which, if ever present at all, must have been very flat because of the figures projecting breasts), slightly dam.;
the motif of the kneeling female combined with a bowl in shape of a hen is a characteristic theme of court art in Yorubaland. Gift-bowls such as this adorned the reception halls of many kings, especially in the Ekiti and Igbomina areas. Some were used for keeping kola nuts “obi” and other presents given to important visitors by the king. This female figure is a messenger to the spirits called “olúmèye”, “one -who-knows-honour”.