EN
♡
Helmet — Anonymous, Yorùbá-style maker

Click image to view full screen

Written by: Onur TunaResearcher · Old Master Paintings
African, Oceanic & Americas Art · Catalogue no. 30794
Anonymous, Yorùbá-style maker

Helmet

StatusReference work · Not for sale
Held byCleveland Museum of Art
Own a comparable work? Consign with us

✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing

This type of helmet used by the Oro association, is often mistaken for the more common Egungun. While Egungun masquerades are performed to honor an individual's ancestors, Oro masquerades are performed in conjunction with the actual funeral of a Yoruba person. The Oro association is very secretive, and the visibility of helmets like this one is generally restricted. Oro is also responsible for carrying out criminal sentences, such as collecting fines, repossessing goods, and executing those convicted of a capital crime. The female figure suspended from the back of the horns may reference the victims of Oro executions. This work has been attributed to the Esubiyi School of Abeokuta, founded about 1860.

Artist / MakerAnonymous, Yorùbá-style maker
Datelate 1800s–early 1900s
Culture / OriginAfrica, West Africa, Nigeria, Yorùbá-style maker
MediumWood and paint
DimensionsOverall: 62.9 cm (24 3/4 in.)
DepartmentAfrican Art
TypeMask
About the Artist

Full biography →

Provenance & Source

Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.

Condition

A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.

Shipping & Collection

Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.

Buying at Matchless Pieces

Register, verify your identity, and bid online or in a private room. Buyer’s premium and taxes are shown before you confirm.

The Matchless Letter

Sale previews, new discoveries in illumination and miniature, and private-room invitations.