Structural Post (Olowe of Ise)
Late 19th - early 20th century. Wood & pigment. Nigeria (Yoruba)
Image courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons.
The Yoruba sculptor, Olowe of Ise, walks the fine line between art and design.
Olowere, as he was commonly known, was born, experts estimate, between 1873 and 1877 in Efon-Alaiye in a prisoner-of-war camp. At the war’s conclusion, his family was allowed to return to Ise where Olowe served the Arinjale (king) as one of many court messengers. As a messenger, Olowe was a keen observer of court life. Over time, he rose to the rank of court sculptor to the Arinjale although how Olowe rose to such a prominent position is still a mystery. His body of work could be seen in a number of Yoruba royal courts, such as Ogoga, Owo, Igede, Ukiti and Ogbabi, among many others.
In 1924, his work arrived in London on display at the British Museum as “the finest piece of West African carving that has ever reached England”. His work left such an impression that by the exhibition’s conclusion in 1925, the museum negotiated its purchase from the Ogoga of Ikere. The beauty of his sculptures often results in the viewer overlooking the practical functions of the pieces Olowe of Ise created. No matter if it is the high relief of his doors, the animate appearance of his veranda posts or the mysterious heads situated beneath his bowls; Olowe of Ise walks the fine line between art and design. His last surviving wife recites a verse from a praise song.
“Outstanding among his peers.
One who carves the hard wood of the iron tree as though it were as soft as a calabash…”
Bibliography:
Walker, R. A. (1998). Olówè of Isè: A Yoruba sculptor to Kings:. Washington, D.C: National Museum of African Art.
By Maxime Mballa-Tagny.