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Difficulty: EasyArtistic Patronage and Sculpture: Olowe of Ise

Palace doors and veranda posts carved by the Yoruba artist Olowe of Ise were primary markers of royal patronage. Which of the following best describes how these architectural sculptures functioned within the royal court?

  1. A
    They functioned as judicial power figures that were spiritually activated by driving metal nails and blades into the wood.
  2. B
    They were worn as ritual masquerade headpieces by the ruler during seasonal agricultural festivals to ensure crop fertility.
  3. They decorated the exterior courtyards of the palace to publicly communicate the ruler's prestige, wealth, and divine authority.Answer
  4. D
    They served as load-bearing stone structures designed using mortarless ashlar masonry to support heavy defensive walls.

Answer

They decorated the exterior courtyards of the palace to publicly communicate the ruler's prestige, wealth, and divine authority.
The carved palace doors and veranda posts created by Olowe of Ise were commissioned by Yoruba kings (oba) to decorate the public and semi-public reception courtyards of the palace. These wooden sculptures functioned as visual displays of the ruler's prestige, divine authority, and lineage to visitors and subjects.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the artist and the nature of the commission.
Olowe of Ise was a Yoruba wood carver commissioned to create veranda posts and palace doors.
Understanding the medium and location of the art is essential to analyzing its function.
2
Analyze how these architectural elements functioned in Yoruba royal courts.
They were highly visible palace decorations that conveyed the ruler's political legitimacy and divine power to visitors.
Determines the primary political purpose behind royal patronage in this context.

Key Concept

Yoruba royal patronage and the political function of palace art
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Artistic Patronage and Sculpture: Olowe of Ise

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