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Headdress (Egungun or Gelede)

A work made of wood and pigment.

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  • A work made of wood and pigment.

Date:

Early 20th century

Artist:

Yoruba
Nigeria
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

This helmet imitates a hairstyle popular among Yoruba girls and young women, agogo, defined by tight braids along the sides of the head and a rising symmetrical crest at the center. Male and female priests occasionally wear the hairstyle, and it has also been incorporated into headdresses such as this one, for performances celebrating a specific orisa (deity), such as Sango, associated with thunderstorms and social justice, or during festivals centered around female elders, Gelede, or the ancestors, Egungun.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Yoruba

Title

Headdress (Egungun or Gelede)

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.

1901–1999

Medium

Wood and pigment

Dimensions

22.9 × 16.5 × 20.3 cm (9 × 6 1/2 × 8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Donald Young and Shirley Weese Young

Reference Number

2015.304

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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