A brass / bronze maskette. Nigeria, Ijebu. 18th-20th century. . object: 5"h x 4 1/2"w x 1 1/2"d, with stand: 8 3/4"h x 5 1/2"w x 4"d
Provenance: Inventory and Collection from the Estate of Merton D. Simpson.
Catalog Notes: Drewal and Pemberton (1991: 22-23), “the Osugbo society [was] a society of female and male elders of a community. Osugbo probably had its origins in the sixteenth or seventeenth century among the Ijebu-Yoruba in the southern, coastal area. It subsequently spread west to the Egba-Yoruba and north to the Oyo-Yoruba where it is known as Ogboni. […] Among the Ijebu-Yoruba, paired bronze figures found in the Osugbo meeting house are known as Onile, ‘Owner of the House’, a reference to the meeting house (iledi), to the female and male elders of the community, and perhaps ultimately to the founding couple and the ‘house of the world’ (ile aye). In the Ife, Oyo and Igbomina areas Ogboni elders salute Onile, ‘Owner of the earth’ who is viewed as complementary figure to Olodumare, the High God.” For a similar object see Sotheby's, New York, "African, Oceanic and Pre Columbian Art", May 16, 2013, lot 114.