Commencing today, our journey begins as we shed light to a different African artwork each week, delving into its cultural significance, the materials that breathe life into it, and the stories of its origin.

Explore the rich heritage of African art with this sculpture, “The Ife Head”, from Nigeria.

A brass head with a complex crown, a neck cover, and a crest is cast using the lost wax technique. The headdress consists of a three-layer crown with beads, rosettes, and feathers. The face has elongated markings, almond-shaped eyes, and striated lips. The neck has grooves and holes for skin creases.

A free-standing brass head discovered in 1938 at Wunmonije Compound in Ife, Nigeria, is believed to be associated with an Ooni ruler. Ife, a legendary homeland of the Yoruba people, is considered the place where life and civilization began. The art of Ife, a city-state in the lower Niger region, has produced a large corpus of sculptural works in terracotta, stone, brass, and copper. These naturalistic human representations are unique in Africa and have been compared to classical traditions of Ancient Greece and Rome. Ife’s sculpture is considered one of the highest achievements of African art and culture.

Source: British Museum.