Head of an Oba (uhumwelao)
Metal figure of male head represented with a tall ringed collar and cap. Depicted in metal are the two tubular beads in front, the smaller pendant bead in the center of the forehead and the two clusters of beads at the sides, hanging from the cap on each side are two sets of six long strings of beads, one set in front of the diminutive ear, the other behind it. On the right side is a plaited cord terminating in a bead and on the left, two such cords, the face with three tribalmarks over each eye, a hole in the crown for the support of a carved ivory tusk.
Label Descriptiondescription The head (uhumwelao), for the royal ancestor altar (aru-erba), is represented with a tall collar (odigbokofo) simulating thirty rings of coral beads and reticulated coral bead cap (onikekeza), the two tubular beads in front, the smaller pendant bead in the center of the forehead and the two clusters of beads at the sides, all probably of agate, hanging from the cap on each side are two sets of six long strings of coral beads (ororo), one set in front of the diminutive ear, the other behind it. On the right side is a plaited cord terminating in a bead (emi ewara) and on the left, two such cords, the face with three tribalmarks over each eye, a hole in the crown for the support of a carved ivory tusk.
Website Descriptiondescription Metal figure of male head represented with a tall ringed collar and cap. Depicted in metal are the two tubular beads in front, the smaller pendant bead in the center of the forehead and the two clusters of beads at the sides, hanging from the cap on each side are two sets of six long strings of beads, one set in front of the diminutive ear, the other behind it. On the right side is a plaited cord terminating in a bead and on the left, two such cords, the face with three tribalmarks over each eye, a hole in the crown for the support of a carved ivory tusk.
16 1/2 x 11 1/2 x 12 in (41.91 x 29.21 x 30.48 cm)
Gift of an Anonymous Donor
Provenance/1/Agentprovenance New Orleans Museum of Art
May be dated incorrectly. From Object File, MW 5-15-2018
Exhibition/0/Venuesexhibition history Louisiana Arts & Science Center; Masur Museum of Art, Monroe, LA; Meadows Museum of Art, Shreveport, LA; Imperial Calcasieu Museum, Lake Charles, LA; Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium, Lafayette, LA; Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, LA
Exhibition/0/Exhibition-Title Treasure Houses: Louisiana Museums for a New Millennium
Exhibition/1/Exhibition-Title Diamond Jubilee History Exhibition: Part II The Professional Directors, 1948-1986
Exhibition/2/Exhibition-Title Traditional Art of Africa
Exhibition/3/Exhibition-Title Exhibition/4/Exhibition-Title Exhibition/5/Exhibition-Title Exhibition/6/Exhibition-Title ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/0/NOTE ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/0/PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/0/RELATIONSHIP ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/1/NAME ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/1/PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/2/END_DATE ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/2/NAME ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/2/PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/2/RELATIONSHIP ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/3/NAME ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/3/PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION ITEMS_OWNERS_SET/ITEMS_OWNERS/3/RELATIONSHIP ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/0/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/0 ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/0/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/1 ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/0/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/2 ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/0/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/3 ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/0/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/4 ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/0/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/5 ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/0/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/6 ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/0/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/7 ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/1/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/0 PUBLICATION:City Park History
PKEY:954
PUBLICATION_DATE:1999
PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION:N
ILLUSTRATION:Y
ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/1/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/1 PUBLICATION:Shapes of Power, Belief and Celebration: African Art from New Orleans Collections
PKEY:34
PUBLICATION_DATE:1989
PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION:N
PAGES:pg. 15, fig. 11
ILLUSTRATION:N
ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/1/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/2 PUBLICATION:New Orleans Collects: African Art
PKEY:2488
PUBLICATION_DATE:1968-02
PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION:N
PAGES:no. 79
ILLUSTRATION:N
ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/1/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/3 PUBLICATION:African Arts: "African Art at the New Orleans Museum of Art"
PKEY:2306
PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION:N
PAGES:fig. 3, pg. 22
ILLUSTRATION:N
ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/1/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/4 PUBLICATION:Traditional Art of Africa
PKEY:2658
PUBLICATION_DATE:1969-02
PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION:N
PAGES:6
ILLUSTRATION:Y
ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS_SET/1/ITEMS_PUBLICATIONS/5 PUBLICATION:Great Art Treasures in America's Smaller Museums
PKEY:446
PUBLICATION_DATE:1967
PRIOR_ATTRIBUTION:N
PAGES:pg. 85
ILLUSTRATION:N
Traditional Art of Africa, Newcomb Art Department, Tulane University, January 9-February 23, 1969; Benin, Isaac Delgado Museum of Art, December 1968-January 1969; New Orleans Collects: African Art, Isaac Delgado Museum of Art; Location: The African Gallery, July 25, 1975