Beaded Figure Group

Yoruba artists and makers are well-known for their production of wooden figurative sculpture. There are a number of examples in the Chazen collection, from twin memorial figures (ere ibéjì) to figures carved into shrine posts, staffs, and dance wands. This object is a rare example of a free-standing beaded figure group, possibly representing an oríkògbófò (crown or coronet) or an object of devotion for a shrine. Four figures stand around a larger, central figure (a mother breastfeeding a child) atop a circular base, which forms the top of a fez-like cap. Another aspect that sets this beaded object apart is the combination of larger beads and seed beads; typically, only the latter are used. This group and a number of similar ones identified by Hans Witte may have all been made by the same maker or workshop. Witte wonders if groups like this one were made for a personal shrine or commissioned by an oba.