Yoruba, Nigeria: A pair of sacred ceremonial staffs for the god, ‘Eshu’.
The Yoruba god ‘Eshu’ is also called ‘trickster god’: he may do good as well as evil. One must appease ‘Eshu’ and get on his good side. To this purpose there is a specific cult with specific priests, altars and temples. Figures depicting the god ‘Eshu’ are easily recognisable: a man with a beard and plaited coiffure projecting backwards. The present, very rare pair of ceremonial staffs is used by an ‘Eshu priest’ who holds them with his hands during ceremonies and processions. The heads of the staffs depict the god himself, bearded and with a braid hanging on the back, and his wife, with breasts, lower lip plug and her own ‘braid’, which remains close to the back of the head. Both figures display the typical tribal scarification marks on their cheeks and temples. Both ‘sacred sceptres’ are made of hard wood and dyed black. With remains of ‘bluing’ in the hairstyle and traces of powdered redwood on the staffs. With smooth, partly thick shiny patina as a result of very long use. Small areas of age-related damage. First third of the 20th century, or earlier; H: each 48.5 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Austrian collection.
Esperto: Prof. Erwin Melchardt
Prof. Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
05.11.2014 - 13:00
- Stima:
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EUR 4.000,- a EUR 5.000,-
Yoruba, Nigeria: A pair of sacred ceremonial staffs for the god, ‘Eshu’.
The Yoruba god ‘Eshu’ is also called ‘trickster god’: he may do good as well as evil. One must appease ‘Eshu’ and get on his good side. To this purpose there is a specific cult with specific priests, altars and temples. Figures depicting the god ‘Eshu’ are easily recognisable: a man with a beard and plaited coiffure projecting backwards. The present, very rare pair of ceremonial staffs is used by an ‘Eshu priest’ who holds them with his hands during ceremonies and processions. The heads of the staffs depict the god himself, bearded and with a braid hanging on the back, and his wife, with breasts, lower lip plug and her own ‘braid’, which remains close to the back of the head. Both figures display the typical tribal scarification marks on their cheeks and temples. Both ‘sacred sceptres’ are made of hard wood and dyed black. With remains of ‘bluing’ in the hairstyle and traces of powdered redwood on the staffs. With smooth, partly thick shiny patina as a result of very long use. Small areas of age-related damage. First third of the 20th century, or earlier; H: each 48.5 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Austrian collection.
Esperto: Prof. Erwin Melchardt
Prof. Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
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| Asta: | Tribal Art |
| Tipo d'asta: | Asta in sala |
| Data: | 05.11.2014 - 13:00 |
| Luogo dell'asta: | Wien | Palais Dorotheum |
| Esposizione: | 31.10. - 05.11.2014 |