Search Results

Title

Egúngún headress (erin type)

Artist

Adugbologe Workshop of Abeokuta, Yoruba Peoples Nigeria

Physical Description

A massive, baroque, and busy wood-carved headdress with stylized face (showing classic Yoruba features) of bulging eyes with defined upper lids, long, straight, triangular nose, symmetrical scarification patterns consisting of three horizontal lines on each cheek, a short beard from ear to ear just underneath the lower lip. Two large “ears” protrude on either side of head and act as “scaffolding” for numerous attachments of symbolic content: birds and lions predominate, but also visible are amulets, wooden claws and beads, crosses, and an insignia shield of some kind. The ears terminate in two oblong mirrors with lions leaping off of each. Layers of pigment are visible, giving impression it has been repainted over time.

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

circa 1960

Accession Number

1985/1.183

Medium and Support

wood, mirrors, pigment, gourd, beads, metal

relevance

rank 11.93273

Primary Keywords

ancestors

birds

headdresses

lions

masquerades

spirits

Title

Shrine Figure (edjo)

Artist

Akpojivi of Orhokpokpo, Urhobo Peoples, Nigeria

Physical Description

Life-sized seated female figure holding a child. Face has rounded, high forehead, ovoid eyes, flat, rectangular nose and protruding, open ovoid mouth. Pigmented, bilateral scarification patterns of forehead, temples and jowls, at back of neck. Scarification also on upper arms and breast. Pigmented coiffure is elaborate with triangular and dome-like shapes. Necklace and hoop-like ring carved in relief onto neck and shoulders; figure has protruding navel, wears anklets and armlet at elbow, and holds a baby suckling at left breast.

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

1900-1950

Accession Number

2006/2.72

Medium and Support

wood, pigment

relevance

rank 11.80573

Primary Keywords

figures (representations)

shrines

spirits

wood (sculpture by material)

Title

Mask (Zamble)

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Guro Peoples Côte D'Ivoire

Physical Description

Face mask with stylized face and horns of an antelope and open jaws of a leopard. Forehead has three sets of scarifcation marks in relief; hairline is incised with pigmented linear and geometric patterns; striped horns curve naturally from top of head; eyes are set in ovoid grounds of white kaolin; top of snout shows incised V-shaped marks; mask is predominantly brown with traces of green, red and yellow pigment; chew stick in back shows some wear.

Century

late 20th century

Object Creation Date

1950-1999

Accession Number

2002/2.348

Medium and Support

wood, pigment

relevance

rank 11.55966

Primary Keywords

composite creature

face masks

masquerades

spirits

wood (sculpture by material)

Title

Nail figure (nkisi nkondi)

Artist

Artist Unknown, Vili Peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Physical Description

Wood-carved, standing male figure 40 inches in height. Its shoulders and torso are impaled with iron blades, nails and fragments. The torso is long, arms at side are bent at elbow and hands rest on lower abdomen. The right wrist wears a bracelet with attachments. The legs are truncated, with twisted metal anklet on right foot. The face is naturalistic, the mouth slightly open, the nose long and narrow with slightly flared nostrils. Eyes are almost shaped, may have had inlay that is now gone. The top of the head shows a tiered, "layer cake like" coiffure. The figure has a long and deep crack down the entire length of its left side, from top of the head to the left ankle.

Century

Late 19th century

Object Creation Date

circa 1850

Accession Number

2005/1.192

Medium and Support

wood, iron nails, blades and fragments, fiber cord

relevance

rank 11.32364

Primary Keywords

blades

figure (representation)

minkisi

minkondi

nails and spikes

occult power

ritual

spirits