Thorn Carving Item Number: Af418 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

A nude woman is lying on a narrow table, with her head on a small pillow, giving birth. Feet are resting against a carved human face with a horn vessel lying on each side. A horn vessel is hanging on the foot of the table and another at the head on the side. A female midwife with a hat and a skirt is standing beside the table holding a small object over the woman's abdomen. On the other side, there is standing, a bearded man with a short skirt, holding a small vessel in his right hand. On the floor in the corner are two large carved human heads, one of which has braided hair, like a priest, and supports three horned vessels while the other is smaller and has two horn vessels. Figures, ritual heads, and three horns are dark brown. Clothes and three horns are light yellow-brown. Hat, four horns, and the pillow are light red-brown. The table and the base are light brown wood.

History Of Use

Thorn carvings are miniatures depicting scenes from Nigerian life. This type of carving began circa 1930. Thorns are carved by men and 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.

Cultural Context

craft; tourist art

Iconographic Meaning

Carving depicts a traditional maternity scene. The presence of ritual heads, horns and mask symbolizes the administration of traditional medicine. In this case, it appears that grandparents are using ritual horns, which are said to have extraordinary strength or power.

Narrative

This thorn carving was made specifically for the donors by the artist.

Specific Techniques

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.

Item History

What

Name
Thorn Carving
Identification Number
Af418
Type of Item
carving
Material
egun thorn, atum thorn, rice adhesive and wood
Manufacturing Technique
carved and glued
Overall
height 9.7 cm, width 10.0 cm, depth 9.0 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
0590/0104