Yoruba Female Caryatid Stool 25" - Nigeria - African Art (circa 1920)

Yoruba Female Caryatid Stool 25" - Nigeria - African Art (circa 1920) This stool was carved in the style of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. The stool depicts a female figure holding the seat of the stool above her head, also known as caryatid. The stool measures 25 inches tall and weighs 9.6 pounds. There is cracking, scuffing and wear and tear – please inspect photos. The Yoruba are the largest culture in Nigeria and one of the largest in all of Africa. The scope of their political influence is immense both nationally and in the parts of Nigeria that they occupy. They can be traced back hundreds of years--perhaps even a thousand. Though heavily exploited during the Slave Trade periods, they have steadfastly held onto an enormous and multi-layered set of beliefs and rituals that can still be found today. Almost all of these practices involved some sort of statuary or mask, so the amount of their artistic output is enormous. Recommended Reading: R. F. Thompson: Black Gods and Kings: Yoruba Art at UCLA, (Los Angeles, 1971) W. Fagg and J. Pemberton III: Yoruba Sculpture of West Africa, (New York, 1982) H. J. Drewal and J. Pemberton III, with R. Abiodun Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought, (New York, 1989)