1. CONCEPTUAL BASIS OF YORUBA ART
AND
THE ARTISTIC PROCESS

2. Manifestations of beauty: outer and inner
Beauty defined- EWA
Manifestations of beauty: outer and inner
Iwa—character, existence, essential nature
Iwa l’ewa character is Beauty
The useful, the functional, the complete, the appropriate
Ori---The Head–
Ori Ode-- outer head
Ori Inu—Inner head
(Houses the vital sense organs
Site of personality
center of spirituality
Shrine, being, destiny)

3. Group of stylized abstract heads representing, inner spiritual head--site of personality
Yoruba, (Ita Yemoo, Ife) Nigeria, terracotta, h. 13 cm(5 in); 19 cm(7.1/2 in);
16.5 cm (61/2 in) 16 cm (6 3/8 in)

4. Aesthetic parameters: Clarity Ephebism-youthfulness Completeness
Shining smoothness
Social and emotional proportion
Polyrhythmic compositions
Art as metaphor

5. Ibeji twin memorial figure,
Yoruba, Nigeria
Wood, 20th cent.
(Yiyo) relative clarity, completeness, and visibility

6. Lajuwa, royal usurper
Terra-cotta,
Ife, Yoruba, 12/15th cent.
(odo) Ephebism: relative youthfulness

7. Ooni,
Leaded brass,
Appr.18.in.
Ife, Yoruba, 14/15th cent.
(Pipe) completeness & emotional proportion

8. Head of a Queen,
Ife, (Yoruba), Nigeria
Terracotta,
12th-13th Century
BP (Before the Present)

9. -aesthetics of social proportion
Sango Shrine Sculptures,
Yoruba, Nigeria
Wood, 20th cent.
-aesthetics of social proportion

10. Adire, dyed cotton, Yoruba, SW Nigeria, 20th cent.
polyrhythmic composition

11. Tangible World of the living—ile aye
The Yoruba Universe
2 realms--
Tangible World of the living—ile aye
Intangible realm of the departed—ode orun
Eniyan—Human
Ere—sculpture

13. Calabash representing the Yoruba cosmos,
Oyo Yoruba, 19th cent. Carved Gourd

14. Ancestral Veneration
Egungun masquerade, sequined applique, cotton,
Yoruba Southwestern Nigeria, 20th century.

15. Sacred Rulership
Oba William Ayeni,
Orangun of Ila, with
Ade Nla, the great crown

16. Duality and Gender Cooperation
Edan Ogboni,
Ijebu Yoruba,
Brass, 19th/ 20th century

17. Ona—art, design, embellishment Ere—sculpture Pottery Weaving Dyeing
Artistic Enterprise
Ise Ona—work of art,
Onisona—artist
Ona—art, design, embellishment
Ere—sculpture
Pottery
Weaving
Dyeing
Body art
Painting
Calabash engraving/incising
Artistic Process

18. Laying the Design Patterns of Adire Cloth –Artistic Process 1& 2

19. Dyeing and drying the Fabric—stages 3&4

20. Finished Product

22. The painting process,
Ile Ife, Nigeria

23. Oluorogbo shrine painting
Ile Ife, Nigeria

24. Epa,
Yoruba, Nigeria
Wood, pigments
20th century

25. Painting the head of an infant
In the ritual of
“knowing the inner head”

26. Ilari-palace messengers,
Oyo Nigeria
20th century

27. Olowo in ritual performance with braided head, Owo Nigeria

28. Sango Priest with braided hair
Yoruba, Nigeria
20th century