Olowe of Ise
Died 1938 · 1 work
Olowe of Ise created carved architectural works for Yoruba rulers in what is now southwestern Nigeria. His veranda posts and palace doors use deep carving, open space, and figures facing different directions to make a fixed structure feel active. These were works with a social purpose as well as a structural one. In the post made for the palace at Ikere, the king’s senior wife stands prominently behind him, expressing the support and authority surrounding rulership. Scale and placement communicate relationships rather than simply reproducing the proportions of everyday bodies.