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Art History 151 Midterm
Yoruba Culture
15
Art History
Undergraduate 2
03/11/2008

Additional Art History Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
[image]
Definition

Opon Ifa (divining tray) 1650 made by an Aja artist based on Yoruba model

 

-Connection with the Spirit world

(evoking wisdom)

-Borders of the trays are embellished with geometric and figurative  motifs, including at least one Eshu Figure. (Eshu is believed to be the one to "deliver the message")

-equivilant to the Eurpopean Bible to Missionaries

 

 

 

Term

(No Image Available)

Perani & Smith Fig. 5.19 

Definition

Veranda Pillars Yoruba Courtyard at Ikere, Nigeria before 1938

Olowe of Ise (famous travelling sculptor)

 

-Pillars used to characterize the King's palace 

-columns represent iconic themes: maternity figure (fertility of the king's wives), equestrian figure (king's physical and intellectual strength)

 

 

 

 

Term
[image]
Definition

Eshu figure wood, leather, cowrie shells before 1930?

 

Mediator between the realms

Trickster 

 

-personifies the "energy of action"

-usually portrayed as a male with lots of hair and a knife coming out of his head.

-the hair symbolizes: energy, aggression, sexuality

-the cowrie shells: currency, wealth, and the market

-female figures kneeling with knife blades coming out of their heads are "Eshu Devotees" 

 

Messes up your life in a "wonderful way" 

Term
[image]
Definition

ere ibeji Akiode (?) wood 20th century

 

-Yoruba belive that twin children share a single soul

-figures created upon the death of one of the twins, believed to "harness the life force" of the deceased twin.

 -Families take care of the ibeji like a child, because they wish to be blessed by the deceased twin's special powers.

-vary from 8-11 inches in height 

 

Term
Yoruba
Definition

Early State-Society in the Eastern Guinea Coast

 

10th-18th centuries

 

City-States

depended on trade on commerce for their economic system 

Term
Ife
Definition

Ancient city in Yoruba

 

center of the universe and the source of Yoruba tradition

 

Through royal patronage, Ife led to the tradition of "court arts" 

Term
Olodumare
Definition
Yoruba Creator God
Term
Odudowa
Definition
one of 16 lesser God's below Olodumare, founder of Ife and first Yoruba king (Oni)
Term
Orisha
Definition
deities who serve as intermediaries between Olodumare and humans
Term
Eshu
Definition

popular Orisha

 

Orisha of Chance and Uncertainty 

 

 personifies the energy of action that animates the Yoruba world

 

Visually: Hair, whistle, cowrie shells, "dual nature" 

Term
ase
Definition

vital force of women (an energy of action)

 

?? 

Term
oni
Definition
Yoruba king
Term
divination
Definition

evoking wisdom

 

system consulted for advice in fixing earthly problems.

 

Like Harry Potter 

Term
opon Ifa
Definition

Divination tray

 

Rectangular with Circle within

 

Eshu figure included in the border design 

Term
ere ibeji
Definition

Twins figures

 

 Created to honor a deceased twin.

Families treat the Ibeji as their child so the the twin will benefit the family with their "Special Powers"  

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