Figural post
Arts of Africa
Figural posts such as this one stood in an àfin (“palace”) or shrine. They held up verandas, supported courtyard openings, or served as screens. Like Māori lintels, such posts were part of symbolic ornamental ensembles. Yorùbá sculptors carved images to support the rule of their royal patrons. Departing from everyday life, where clothing was required, the woman’s nudity reflects the sacredness of her kneeling pose. The equestrian warrior ( jangunjangun) she supports carries a knife and now-missing spear, emblems that embody his àṣẹ (life force). The carving style suggests it was made in Èkìtì State, though the origins of this post continue to be researched. Like the Turner Towers block, rain has eroded its surface. Especially since the 1940s, new trends in the forms and functions of àfins eliminated many courtyards and their posts.
MEDIUM
Wood, pigment
DATES
late 19th or early 20th century
DIMENSIONS
62 3/4 x 8 1/2 x 6 in. (159.4 x 21.6 x 15.2 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
82.154.2
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Allen A. Davis
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Carved wood figurative house post painted red-brown, and composed of a horse and rider at the top. The bearded rider holds the handle of a flywhisk in his right hand. The whisk rests on his right shoulder. His coiffure is painted blue. He wears arm rings and bracelets, a tasseled baldric and is seated on a saddle with stirrups. The horse has a bridle. The equestrian figure rests on a small platform. Under him is a figure of a kneeling woman with hands supporting breasts. She wears ear plugs, bracelets, an amulet necklace, and girdle. Her coiffure is painted blue.
Condition: Good. Evidence of wear and erosion from age visible throughout. Rider's left forearm is missing.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Yorùbá artist. Figural post, late 19th or early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 62 3/4 x 8 1/2 x 6 in. (159.4 x 21.6 x 15.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Allen A. Davis, 82.154.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 82.154.1_82.154.2_SL1.jpg)
IMAGE
group, 82.154.1_82.154.2_SL1.jpg.
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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RECORD COMPLETENESS
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we welcome any additional information you might have.
Where did these come from?
These houseposts are a pair and were cared by a Yoruba artist. You may have read this on the label but if not, it is important to know that these figures represent the individuals who support and uphold the leader in his office.
Did they symbolize wealth? Or were they common household pieces?
They were common among the wealthy. They often supported the verandas of distinguished places such as important shrines or the dwellings of kings, titled elders, and priests so they would not be commonplace for all Yoruba people.
If at any point today you head up to the 5th floor, there are houseposts on view from the Kwakwaka’wakw people of North America that differ greatly from those Yoruba posts.