Estimate
€ 2.000 - 2.500
Aggiudicato
Current bid Starting bid
€ 2.000
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At auction on Thursday 5 March 2026 at 15:00
Information
50.5 × 34 × 35 cm
Composed of a female figure on horseback with symbols of indigenous iconography surrounded by her children in an unusual composition created by a master of Yoruba art.
Composed of a female figure on horseback with symbols of indigenous iconography surrounded by her children in an unusual composition created by a master of Yoruba art.
Dark patina on the wood with pigments, signs of wear
The lot is sold together with a certificate of expertise from Totem Gallery, Venice, Italy
Provenance
Totem Gallery, Venice, Italy
Exhibition
Arte Africana. "Fertilità e Maternità", 9 July – 3 October 2007 Totem Gallery, Venice, Italy
Specialist Notes
Among the large Yoruba population (Nigeria and Benin), elaborately carved statues decorated court palaces and temples for the worship of deities. Women, represented at the height of their beauty and abundance, were the most important symbol of fertility. The female figure on a horse is an example of high quality craftsmanship. The horse was always a symbol of great importance, so it is assumed that the group represents a queen who, surrounded by musicians and dignitaries, is on her way to a temple to bring the offering of the chicken she is holding in her left hand. In her right hand she holds a fan, another symbol of importance. The woman's hairstyle is very elaborate and dyed with indigo, which is also present on the chicken and on the hairstyles of the other characters, represented on a smaller scale to accentuate the importance of the woman. Reddish pigment and kaolin decorate other parts of the sculpture.
Condition report
To request a Condition Report, please contact modernoecontemporaneo@finarte.it
The department will provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that what Finarte declares with respect to the state of conservation of the objects corresponds only to a qualified opinion and that we are not professional conservators or restorers.
We urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. We always suggest prospective buyers to inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition during the exhibition days as indicated in the catalog.
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