A Superb and Highly Important Yoruba Door by Olówè of Ise, Nigeria

Rolf and Christina Miehler, Munich
Michael Oliver, New York, acquired from the above
Acquired by the present owner from the above

Rietberg Museum, Zurich, Yoruba: Art and Aesthetics, November 7, 1991 – March 8, 1992
Villa Stuck, Munich, Gods - Spirits - Ancestors: African Sculpture from Private German Collections, October 28, 1992 - January 10, 1993
Museum für Völkerkunde, Vienna, Götter - Geister - Ahnen: Afrikanische Skulpturen in deutschen Privatsammlungen im Museum für Völkerkunde Wien, March 23 - July 24, 1994
National Museum of African Art - Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Olówè of Isè: A Yoruba Sculptor to Kings, March 15 - September 7, 1998
Museum Rietberg, Zurich, Orakel: Der Blick in die Zukunft, November 14, 1999 - February 20, 2000
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Art and Oracle. Spirit Voices of Africa, April 25 - July 30, 2000

Rowland Abioudun, Henry John Drewal and John Pemberton III, Yoruba: Art and Aesthetics, Zurich, 1991, p. 43, cat. 59
Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler, Gods – Spirits – Ancestors: African Sculpture from Private German Collections, Munich, 1992, p. 116, cat. 086
Roslyn A. Walker, Olowe of Ise: A Yoruba Sculptor to Kings, Washington D.C., 1998, p. 52, cat. 8
Lorenz Homberger (ed.), Orakel: Der Blick in die Zukunft, Zurich, 1999, p. 343, cat. 120
Maria Kecskési, Kunst aus Afrika: Museum für Völkerkunde München, Munich/London/New York, 1999, p. 162, cat. 152
Alisa LaGamma, Art and Oracle. African Art and Rituals of Divination, New York, 2000, p. 68, cat. 44

Good condition overall for an object of this type, age cracks throughout; insect damage and areas of abrasion on the proper edge, the bird on the proper right bottom corner of the top register with chip on its head; nicks and scratches, wear and tear from traditional handling; fine medium brown aged patina with encrustation and traces of lime.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Of all great Yoruba sculptors, Olówè of Isè (ca. 1875 - ca. 1938) is arguably the most famous, grace to his inventive carving style. Based on the presence of the ifà divination board in the door's center, Abiodun et al. (1991: 42) suggest Olówè carved this door for "a high ranking Ifà priest or, perhaps, the meetings house of Ifà priests. It is a remarkable artistic achievement, illustrating Olówè's mastery of two-dimensional composition and his brilliance in achieving a balance between total design and surface ornamentation. [...] 

"Three rows of birds, seen from above, are arrayed across the surface of the upper and lower registers. The outer rows face one another, while the inner row of birds face the central panel. The heads and wings of the birds are raised from the surface of the door, providing a three-dimensional effect. The feather patterns on their backs and wings are beautifully detailed. The design varies in the second row of birds, providing a subtle contrast with those on either side. It is a delightful variation in an otherwise highly formal composition.

"In the central square panel Olówè carved an opón ifá [divination tray], the shape of which is a distorted square with four concave sides. It is not an unknown geometrical pattern for a diviner's tray, but Olówè has used it for his own aesthetic purposes. The concave sides of the tray press inward, focusing the attention of the viewer upon the open and flat center of the opón ifá. Two snakes zig-zag their way upward to the left and right of the tray. Similar smaller patterns appear above and below. Olówè also uses this dynamic pattern in miniature for the surface ornamentation [...].

"One receives the impression of a field of energy surrounding a space where the Odù of Ifá appear at the time of a divination rite. In the design of the central panel Olówè conveys the dynamics of the place where communication between spiritual and human realms occurs. On the border of the tray Olówè carves four faces. The style in which they are carved is so typical of Olówè that the image is often thought of as his signature."