Yoruba Tribe Folk Art

West African hand beaded head dress crown from Yoruba, Nigeria. This artistic beautiful and functional art piece is covered with beads in ivory, red and black colors with faces bird...

West African hand beaded head dress crown from Yoruba, Nigeria. This artistic beautiful and functional art piece is covered with beads in turquoise, orange, green, yellow red, blue ...

Blacked wood helmet mask (Gelede), large human head surmounted by a dog eating a snake which curves around the head. No perforation for attachment to costu...

This hand-carved tray comes from the Mentawai tribe found on the Mentawai Islands off the west coast, Sumatra, Indonesia. It is hand-carved from a single block of wood. These trays a...

Fine early 20th Century hand spun indigo cotton and Trans-Sahara silk cloth.

Gelede festivals honor the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lo...

This wooden headdress was created by the Yoruba People of western Nigeria, and was worn during a masquerade known as egungun. A widespread Yoruba ritual, egungun performances honor a...

A finely carved significant Yoruba Male Ibeji figure with a tall headdress, expressive eyes, original bead belt and heavy wear and polish from native use. Areas of encrusted camwood ...

Yoruba people have one of the highest incidents of twin births in the world. As a result, twin children are regarded as extraordinary, divine beings protected by Sango, the deity of ...

Blessed by time, an early beautiful Yoruba female figure with baby riding on back, presenting an offering bowl in the form of a chicken with a removable top. Great Yoruba mother's face with scarifications and an excited baby. Areas of heavy wear, erosion and insect damage, especially to the two figures supporting the bowl, top of the chicken bowl...

A vintage carved ten leg tribal "Elephant" wood stool with a finely decorated top. The carved central star has a square in the middle and is framed by three different carved bands. T...

Carved wooden sculpture depicting a woman sacrificing holding an offering bowl, Yoruba People, Nigeria, 1940s There is a small old chip on the top, please refer to the photos. The numbers are the inventory numbers from Pennsylvania State University and Lehigh University. Exhibited: The Pennsylvania State University - Museum of Art permanent collection; The Lehigh University - Art Galleries permanent collection and the Provenance: The collection of Dr and Mrs. John E. Swanson. Dr John Swanson and his wife Marian lived from 1966 - 1981 in Lagos, Nigeria where Dr Swanson was the Advisor to the National Universities Commission and later on the Chief Planning Officer of the University Of Ibadan, Nigeria. During their time in Africa the Swansons started to collect African art. In 1973 a part of their collection, circa 120 pieces went on loan to The Pennsylvania State University Museum of Art, where they remained until 1978. In 1981 Dr Swanson passed away and his wife Marian never returned to Africa. In 1982 Mrs. Swanson lent 130 pieces to the Lehigh University Art Gallery where they remained until 1987. A few pieces were also lent to Lafayette College...