A Ife bronze sculpture of an Ooni (Oba), A largely undestroyed statue of an Ooni of Ife. It shows the signs of dignity that the king wore during the classical period. The objects in the King's hand are signs of royal power, pearl necklace around the neck, and the chest jewelry is also a sign of dignity. An iron bell around the neck is unusual and no comparable example can be found in the literature. May be an allusion to the God Orisha - the powerful God of iron - of the Yoruba.

Frank Willet, Ife, Metropole afrikanischer Kunst, S. 32 ff, Tafel 6/7, Schätze aus Alt Nigeria, Ministerium für Kultur der DDR, Bode Museum 1985, S.117. This sculpture can be visited in the Wolfgang Jaenicke Gallery, Berlin, Invitation1.8.19

sold

Height: 82 cm
Weight: 16 kg