Lamidi Olonade Fakeye Yoruba Nigeria Sculptor Shango Warrior King on Horse art

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Lamidi Olonade Fakeye Yoruba Nigeria Sculptor Shango Warrior King on Horse art

About the Item

A deeply carved hardwood panel by the famous Nigerian sculptor Lamidi Olonade Fakeye, (1928-2009). Created in the 1960s. He boldly incised his name diagonally on the back upper right L. O. FAKEYE. A typewritten biography of the artist with some hand written notes is taped to the back (damaged) referring to his accomplishments up to 1966. It depicts a Warrior King on horseback brandishing an old fashioned pistol in his left hand and holding aloft a rope with a bound captive with his right. He wears a traditional Nigerian suit and coiled hat with a whisk emanating from the crown. A similar whisk appears between the horse's ears. A large sword hangs at his waist. Looking out at us are two attendants, one feeding the horse from a bowl, and another beating a traditional Nigerian talking drum. The whole scene is framed with a braided rope design. Equestrian figures are potent symbols of power in many parts of Africa where ownership of horses was long restricted to warriors and political leaders. In Yoruba mythology, Shango was both a king and a god (orisha) representing masculine power, strategic thinking, war, dominance, and sovereignty. His main attribute was the sound of thunder, thus his voice is heard in drums. The great artist L. O. Fakeye has imaginatively portrayed all these features of the Warrior King in this marvelous carved panel. Lamidi Fakeye's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $1,500 USD to $11,670, depending on the size of the artwork. Since 2008 the record price for this artist at auction is $11,670 in 2019 for an untitled two-part panel, sold at Arthouse Contemporary Limited, which specializes in Contemporary and Modern African art.

Dimensions:
Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)Width: 17.25 in (43.82 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
Style:
Tribal (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Hardwood,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
Nigeria
Period:
1960-1969
Date of Manufacture:
1960s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Very minor scrape about 1 inch long on upper righthand side, see photos, otherwise in excellent condition.
Seller Location:
Santa Fe, NM
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU5242219073862