Fine Yoruba Female Bowl Bearer, Nigeria
olumeye
Wood, pigments
Height 20 1/4in (51.5cm)

Provenance
Joel Green Collection, San Francisco
James Stephenson African Art, New York
(Illustrated in Tribal Arts, No. 90, Winter 2018, p. 28)
Private Collection

As noted by John Pemberton, 'The figure of the kneeling woman, who holds an offering bowl in the form of a cock, was a subject often employed by norther and western Ekiti carvers for bowls used to hold nuts, obi, with which a host would welcome his guests. It is called Olumeye, 'one who knows honor,' and, according to Kevin Corroll, it depicts a woman who 'is a messenger of the spirits' (Carroll, Yoruba Religious Carvings, Geoffrey Chapman, London, 1967, p. 32.).' (Holcombe, Bryce (ed.), Yoruba: Sculpture of West Africa, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1982, p. 184)

Skillfully carved in overall naturalistic design, the large female kneeling on a square base, her arms bent forward to hold a ceremonial bowl carved in the form of a cock; her pronounced conical breasts project outward; her large, cylindrical neck rising from squared shoulders supports her rounded head with large, contemplative eyes holding our attention, naturalistic nose, ears, mouth and a towering multi-braided coiffure; wearing emblems of wealth and status, including a carved necklace and raised scarification to her face, breasts and a particularly fine and complex composition carved on her back; fine dark brown patina with remnants of pigments to the base.

Old erosion and loss to top and back of head, both ears, left breast, inside bottom of bowl, to top of platform next to left knee, to back and right side of platform; break with infill to left shoulder and left side of neck, head of chicken broken and repaired at neck; nicks, scratches, abrasions and wear consistent with age throughout. Custom base.