A Yoruba carved wooden ‘colon’ door

Nigeria, Yoruba tribe, early 20th century

 

H. 118 x W. 61 cm

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Depicted on the door is an English military man on horseback with four Yoruba soldiers with guns over their shoulders.

The Yorubas worked with a wide array of materials in their art including; bronze, leather, terracotta, ivory, textiles, copper, stone, carved wood, brass, ceramics and glass.

A unique feature of Yoruba art is its striking realism that, unlike most African art, chose to create human images that are based on reality, rather than the divine or spiritual.