12 Facts You Need to Know About Ife Art - Google Arts & Culture (2024)

Ife Royal Head by UnknownOriginal Source: Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art

#1: The kingdom was located in Ile-Ife

In Nigeria, between the 11th and 15th century CE, the ancient African city “Ife” (Ile-Ife) flourished. Ife is located along the Guinea Coast of Southern West Africa and had trade connections with other West African Kingdoms. The people were Yoruba, and Ife art is a celebration of their culture.

#2: Descendants from Heaven

According to historical stories, Ife is the centre of the world. The first ruler of Ife, “Ooni of Ife” meaning King of Ife, was called Oduduwa or Odua and he was the eldest of God's descendants from heaven. He sent out his sixteen sons with beaded crowns to rule kingdoms of their own.

#3 Civil War

One of the most important historical events in ancient Ife was the civil war between the supporters of Obatala and those of Oduduwa which erupted in the reign of Ife’s 46th king.The effects of this civil war left Ife vulnerable and has made it difficult tocorrectly align Ife’s history.

#4: Discovering Ife art

Ife art was brought to international attention in 1910 when Leo Frobenius, a German ethnographer, discovered bronze and terracotta heads at Ife. The discovery changed people’s perception of African Art, but Frobeniushad a misconception about its origin. With great disbelief that they were made by an African, Frobenius maintained a theory that it was from the lost city ofAtlantis, an ancient mythical Greek colony.

Figure of the Ooni of Ife by UnknownOriginal Source: Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art

#5: Made by the Yorùbás for the Yorùbás

The discovery of a figure of the Oni of Ife in 1957 challenged the credibility of Frobeniustheory.In Yoruba Philosophy, the head is seen as the shell that houses the essence of an individual. It is, therefore, usually depicted bigger than the rest of the body in sculptural representations.Therefore, it is certain that the art of Ife was done by persons who understand this philosophy. Ife art then must have been made by the Yorùbás for the Yorùbás.

#6: Preserving Ife art

In 1938, thirteen bronze heads of approximately life-size were found in the compound of Wunmonije (a previous Ooni of Ife) which was close to the back door of the palace. The Ooni of Ife, Sir Adesoji Aderemi was keen on keeping these emblems of their culture and preserve ancient Ife art.

#7: Ife Heads Characteristics

Ife heads, though naturalistic, have some stylizations; the eyes are arched at the sides and have no brows, the lips are depicted slightly apart and the overall look of the face exudes peace and serenity.

Obalufon II by UnknownOriginal Source: Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art

#8: A patron of the arts

Most of the Ife heads depicts individuals who lived in the era of the Ife king Obalufon II. The king was a chief patron of the arts which is reinforced with his modern-day identity as patron of bronze casting, textiles, regalia, peace and wellbeing.

#9: The lost-wax process

Most of the Ife heads were made using the lost- wax process from the 11 th to 15 th century CE.The use of this method requires great knowledge of the different mediums in use which include clay, bronze or brass and the various temperatures conducive for each medium at different points in casting.

#10: Ife art materials

Although copper is a difficult metal to work with, the Ife artists through their ingenuity, used it in producing their artworks. They also used terracotta, stone, quartz, copper and brass for sculpting.

Commemorative Altar Head by UnknownOriginal Source: Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art

Ife Royal Head by UnknownOriginal Source: Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art