Art Institute of Chicago
Royal Cap (Orikogbofo)
YorubaLinkedCulture matchlcp-ab084a042215
- Date
- 20th century
- Medium
- Glass, cloth, and string
- Culture
- Nigeria
- Department
- Arts of Africa
- Institution
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Object ID
- 229893
From the Art Institute of Chicago record
Brilliantly colorful, Yoruba crowns and hats feature strands of tiny glass beads sewn on a cloth base. These glass beads normally distinguish worshippers of different orisa , or deities: white beads are worn by Obatala worshipers, black and red by Esu worshipers, red and white by Sango, green by Ifa, and so on. The presence of a full spectrum of colors on royal crowns thus visibly demonstrates that in the person of the Oba, or king, all religious groups are united. The makers of orikobofo are liberated from rigid conventions and are able to explore new designs, color combinations, and forms.
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Provenance & credit
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- Credit line
- Gift of Donald Young and Shirley Weese Young
- Provenance
- Douglas Dawson Gallery, Chicago, Ill., by 2012; sold to Donald Young and Shirley Weese Young, Chicago, Ill., by 2012; given to the Art Institute, 2015.
Linked open data
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- Object type
- AAT300209261
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