Standing male figure 1900 - 1925

This small wooden sculpture of a standing male figure was made by a Yoruba artist. I can only imagine the artist carefully carving away at the wood, feeling its grain and texture. Look at the way the artist has subtly modeled this figure, paying close attention to its various planes and surfaces. See how the hands are clasped in front, perhaps holding something precious or symbolic. And then there's that striking blue crown, a burst of color that draws your eye upward. I wonder what it signifies, what kind of story it tells about the figure’s identity or status. I am struck by its intimacy. You can see other examples of African sculpture in the work of artists like Picasso and Brancusi. Artists are always looking at each other, across time and place, borrowing and transforming ideas. This sculpture reminds us of art’s power to connect us to different ways of seeing and understanding the world.