180. Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga). Olowe of Ise (Yoruba peoples). c. 1910–1914 C.E. Wood and pigment.

• Form
  • Wooden sculpture with tall vertical emphasis
  • Complicated and elaborate use of negative space
  • Negative space creates an openness in the composition
  • Most veranda posts were painted; this work has traces of paint remaining.
• Function
  • Olowe of Ise carved veranda posts for the rulers of the Ekiti-Yoruba kingdom in Nigeria.
  • One of four carved for the palace at Ikere, Nigeria
• Context
  • The king is the focal point between himself and others represented on the post
  • Behind the king, his large-scale senior wife supports the throne
  • She crowns the king during the coronation; protects him during his reign
  • The smaller figures include his junior wife; his flute player, Eshu, the trickster god; and a figure of a fan bearer now missing