Bracelet
date: label: Date
content: 16th-18th century
name: label: Maker
content: Yoruba artist
notes: label: Label Text
content: This bracelet, one of a pair, may have been part of the regalia of the Olowo of Owo, a Yoruba king. The motifs evoke the spiritual forces that shape the world and are controlled by the ruler. The head with creatures issuing from the nostrils suggests the loosing of inner spiritual forces. Similarly the fish-legged figure is a being that transcends the realms of land and water and symbolizes Olokun, god of the sea.
label: Description
content: One of pair of ivory bracelets with carved human-like figures and animals covering the entire surface. Each opening has small knobby carvings around the entire edge.
label: Provenance
content: John Jamieson, ca. 1850
label: Provenance
content: Harry G. Beasley (1882-1939), Cranmore Ethnographical Museum, Chislehurst, Kent, England, -- to 1975
label: Provenance
content: Paul and Ruth Tishman, New York, 1975 to 1984
label: Exhibition History
content: Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2017-ongoing
label: Exhibition History
content: African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., February 15, 2007-March 31, 2009
label: Exhibition History
content: First Look: The Walt Disney-Tishman Collection of African Art, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., May 17-December 3, 2006
label: Exhibition History
content: Art of the Personal Object, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., September 24, 1991-April 9, 2007
label: Exhibition History
content: African Ivories. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, June 26, 1984-December 30, 1984
label: Exhibition History
content: For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1981
label: Published References
content: Ezra, Kate. 1984. African Ivories. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 23, fig. 21, cat. no.23.
label: Published References
content: Graves Son & Pilcher. 1975. The Collection of Tibetan ritual art, Oceanic, Haida, Eskimo, Benin, Maori and Asian artifacts formally at the Cranmore Ethnographical Museum, Chislehurst, Kent, formed by the late Harry G. Beasley, 1882-1939 ... 3rd March 1975. Palmeira Auction Room, Hove. Brighton: Dolphin Press, lots 214-215.
label: Published References
content: Kreamer, Christine Mullen, Bryna Freyer and Andrea Nicolls. 2007. African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 192-193, no. 65.
label: Published References
content: Patton, Sharon F. 2005. "Disney-Tishman: Gift to the Smithsonian Institution." Tribal Art X:2 (39), p. 63, no. 6.
label: Published References
content: Patton, Sharon F. and Bryna Freyer. 2008. Treasures 2008. Washington D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 42-43.
label: Published References
content: Robbins, Warren M. and Nancy Ingram Nooter. 1989. African Art in American Collections. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 228, no. 586.
label: Published References
content: Ross, Doran (ed). 1992. Elephant: The Animal and Its Ivory in African Culture. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum of Cultural History, University of California, p. 202, no. 9-19.
label: Published References
content: Vogel, Susan (ed). 1981. For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, pp. 128-129, no. 71.
label: Content Statement
content: As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
label: Image Requests
content: High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
place: label: Geography
content: Owo, Nigeria
topic: label: Topic
content: Leadership
label: Topic
content: mudfish
label: Topic
content: male
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African Art Collection
label: Exhibition
content: Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts
label: On View
content: NMAfA, Second Level Gallery (2193)
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African Art
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2005-6-7.1
objectType: label: Type
content: Jewelry
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Ivory
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 7.5 x 12.8 x 12.8 cm (2 15/16 x 5 1/16 x 5 1/16 in.)