Yoruba Antique African Oyo Royal Sculpture, King, Prince & Horse #32740

A Yoruba statue of an Oyo Kingdom king and prince mounted on a horse is a traditional depiction honoring the reconquest of their lands in the late 16th Century. The Yoruba people have a distinct culture and language, and today live mostly in Nigeria, with smaller populations in Ghana, Togo and Benin.

This equestrian statue from about 150 years ago is a symbol of power over nature and success in war and hunting. Large heads represent character, self control and motivation, large eyes suggest awareness. Larger characters are more important (as in Egyptian art), so the horse is very small.

Hand hewn from a single tree trunk, this sculpture has original worn black pigment. Kept outside, moisture from the ground caused deterioration of the base, which was reinforced with iron rods over the years. We have mounted the statue to a removable board for stability and protection.

A letter releasing this work of art as part of an inheritance in Ibadan, capital of the Oyo province of Nigeria, is dated 1998, and the statue was brought to America afterwards.

There is a plywood crate included for shipping. Sculpture size is 21" wide, 22" deep and 79" tall.

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Item # 32740