Thorn Carving Item Number: Af429 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Figure representing a woman wearing a multi-pointed hat, a sleeveless dress with a sling around her waist to support a baby on her back, and she is sitting on a cylindrical stool facing a small table on a cylindrical base. There are three bunches of plantain on the table. Heads, limbs, and table are dark brown. Dress and stool are light yellow-brown. Hat and plantain are light red-brown. The wood base is light brown.
History Of Use
Thorn carvings are miniatures depicting scenes from Nigerian life. This type of carving began circa 1930. Thorns vary in size, they can be as large as 12.7 cm. long and 9.6 cm. wide. They are comparatively soft and easily carved. The light yellow-brown thorn and the dark brown thorn come from the Ata tree; the light red-brown thorn comes from Egun trees. The parts are glued together with viscous paste made from rice cooked with water. They are carved by men.
Narrative
Depicts a plantain seller.
Cultural Context
craft; tourist art
Item History
- Made in Nigeria before 1972
- Collected during 1972
- Owned by Andrew Stewart and Jessie Stewart before February 8, 1980
- Received from Andrew Stewart (Donor) and Jessie Stewart (Donor) on February 8, 1980
What
- Name
- Thorn Carving
- Identification Number
- Af429
- Type of Item
- carving
- Material
- atum thorn, wood, rice adhesive and egun thorn
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved and glued
- Overall
- height 8.7 cm, width 6.0 cm, depth 5.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Yoruba
- Previous Owner
- Andrew Stewart and Jessie Stewart
- Received from
- Andrew Stewart (Donor) and Jessie Stewart (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Nigeria
When
- Creation Date
- before 1972
- Collection Date
- during 1972
- Ownership Date
- before February 8, 1980
- Acquisition Date
- on February 8, 1980
Other
- Item Classes
- carvings & sculpture
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0590/0115