2014.26.1 Sword ornament in the form of a spider
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This cast gold spider (ananse), a symbol of wisdom, once decorated a personal sword belonging to Kwaku Dua II, who ruled the Asante Kingdom in 1884.
2005.101 Altar stand in the form of a cuff
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Ogboni (called Oshugbo in Ijebu) emblems include cast metal emblems with complex imagery. The altar stand/cuff is decorated with pairs of female figures, one with legs formed as a pair of mudfish. This symbolizes Olokun, god of the sea and a symbol of wealth.
2005.14 Ring depicting human sacrifice
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This casting depicts human sacrifice with images of severed heads and vultures feasting on bound and decapitated bodies.
94.2014.1 Ring depicting human sacrifice
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Cast images in high relief of severed heads and vultures—indicating the practice of human sacrifice—appear on rings found outside of the Yoruba and Benin kingdoms.
2015.3 Waist pendant with three figures
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The central figure on the ivory pendant is the oba (king) of the Benin Kingdom, distinguished by his central placement, his slightly larger size, and the ornament—called the Bead of Kingship—on his chest.
1994.201.McD Waist pendant plaque
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The central figure on the ivory pendant is the oba (king) of the Benin Kingdom, distinguished by his central placement, his slightly larger size, and the ornament—called the Bead of Kingship—on his chest.
1987.480 René Magritte, Persian Letters
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
As a surrealist artist, René Magritte painted ordinary objects in unusual circumstances in order to question our perceptions of reality. He also frequently chose titles that seem unrelated to his works, challenging viewers to devise their own meanings for his paintings.
1955.17.M Camille Pissarro, Apple Harvest
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Camille Pissarro believed fervently in the benefits of manual labor and communal living and represented laboring peasants throughout his life.
1978.1 Edouard Manet, Portrait of Isabelle Lemonnier
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Isabelle Lemonnier, a young, fashionable Parisian, was one of Édouard Manet’s favorite models during the final years of his life. Isabelle posed for six oil portraits and numerous pastel and watercolor studies.