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Jar

A work made of terracotta.

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  • A work made of terracotta.

Date:

Early/mid–20th century

Artist:

Yoruba
Ekiti region, Nigeria
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Yoruba potters in the Ekiti region typically build a jar’s walls and rims from a hollowed-out lump of clay. After the completed jar has hardened, the potter inverts it and scrapes the outside of the base until it is evenly thin and smooth. The form of this elaborately decorated vessel echoes a type of domestic storage container with knobs on opposing sides that serve as handles.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Yoruba

Title

Jar

Place

Nigeria (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1900–1975

Medium

Terracotta

Dimensions

49.5 × 41.3 cm (19 1/2 × 16 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Keith Achepohl

Reference Number

2005.270

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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