Yoruba Bowl
YORUBA ARTIST
Divination Bowl with jester
Nigeria
Late 19th-early 20th century
Wood
Height: 6 1/2 in (16.2 cm)
Provenance:
Ex collection Harvey Menist, Amsterdam,1971
Ex Alan Brandt, New York
ex Pace Primitive, New York
ex Private collection, NY
Among Yoruba divination bowls, the form with a supporting jester figure draws on the long tradition of pairing serious ritual work with imagery that carries humor, humility, and reversal. The bowl would have held palm nuts used by a babalawo during Ifa consultation, and the jester served as a reminder that wisdom and play are not opposites in Yoruba thought. This piece has a well-documented history, moving from Harvey Menist in Amsterdam in 1971 through Alan Brandt and Pace Primitive in New York before entering a private New York collection.
