Cleveland Museum of Art

Shrine Figure for Sàngó

Date

c. 1910

Medium

Wood, probably bluing, and organic material

Culture

Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Yorùbá-style maker

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Sàngó is a king turned god in the Yorùbâ cosmology. One of the many òrìṣà—a god or divine spirit—that Yorùbá people can become devotees of and appeal to, Sàngó is often associated with lightning and thunder. The shape atop the female figure's head is the double-axe symbol of Sàngó. She wears a triangle-shaped amulet, waist beads, and bracelets, all signifying that she is a priestess. Standing on a base, rather than a handle, this figure was likely placed in a shrine dedicated to Sàngó. The bright blue color on this sculpture is bluing, a powdered product used to brighten laundry.

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