Housepost
Artist:
Unknown
Place made:Nigeria, Africa
Culture: Yoruba peoples
Date: late 19th-early 20th century
Medium: Wood
Dimensions:
height: 93 in. (236.2 cm)
width: 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
depth: 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm)
Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Dr. and Mrs. Jose M. Benavides
Object number: 77.988
Provenance: gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jose M. Benavides, San Antonio, to the San Antonio Museum Association, 1977; transferred to the San Antonio Museum of Art, 1994
Label Text
Yoruba kings and chiefs reside in palaces built around courtyards with wide verandas lavishly decorated with intricately carved poles and door panels. This veranda post (or òpó) is elaborately carved with symbols of the king’s authority. Near the bottom, a kneeling woman supports the post in a position associated with childbirth and with women’s essential role in sustaining Yoruba society. The heavily armed warrior above her embodies the protection that the king enjoys as a sacred ruler. The sculptor emphasizes a fundamental concept within the Yoruba worldview, that the king administers the people by carefully balancing the nurturing role of the women with the protective role of the men. (J. Powers, 2021)
Not on view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
