SLIDE INDETIFICATIONS OF TSOEDE BRONZE

All the Tsoede statues are treated as sacred objects and used in special festivals. During festivals the statues are evoked to quell the floods of the Niger to give fertility to the women and virility to the men, and to prevent sickness and poverty.

Origin:
Tsoede Bronzes were all discovered in Nupe villages along the River Niger. The creation and distribution of nine bronze figures located at Idah and Jebba known as Tsoede Bronzes are subscribed to King Tsoede who was the legendary founder of Nupe kingdom. Tsoede was said to have been the son to Attack of Igala who was banished from his father's kingdom and then founded the Nupe kinom in 16th century A.D

Hints:
The three figures are related to one another in style. They have a distinctive shape with short thin arms and exceptionally long tree trunk legs. The male figures wear helmets faced with circular medallions and highly decorated costumes. It is possible that a link may be made with Ife and works of 16th century benin.
The Igala figures are among the largest sculptures cast by the cire- perdue process in West Africa.
The Tada seated figure is the most famous of the three bronze pieces of Tsoede and by far the most remarkable and the most important work of art South of the Sahara. It measures 55cm high. The style of the head is related to the highly realistic works of Ife. It is made up of rounded and well proportioned parts. The Igala figures bear characteristics of African figures of symmetry and rigidity of posture.

ORON EKPU FIGURE

°Ekpu figure are unique both in style and character. They were carved out of hard wood. Their faces are so varied that it is unlikely to find any two figures alike despite their large numbers. The areas of similarity in Epku figures are found in features like bearded face, a domed head with hat, and a malarial (sickly) tummy poised on thin short legThey Each EKPU consists of five segments the hat; the head and slightly prominent neck: the chest with the bent hands; the stomach; and the squashed waist and legs. The aged bearded face tapers into a long like goatee.
Also the domed head has a long nose with thin lips while the pupils of eyes are not prominent as in Yoruba wood carvings.
The arms are bent at the end of the narrow chest with the hands holding hornlike objects the malarial tummy is decorated round the navel with some circular scarifications

functions
1 The ORON EKPU figures are objects of sanctity.
2 They are considered monuments because they represents the head; once they were dedicated and presented with all the rituals in public, the spirit of the dead person being represented occupied the EPKU.
3 They Oron EPKU also served social and aesthetic functions.
4 They are records of ORON history in wood carvings.

Some Oron Ekpu web images link
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/319851

http://www.galerie-herrmann.com/arts/art3/westsued/21_Oron/index_en.htm

https://momaa.org/at_biz_dir-location/nigeria/

http://www.islamicworld.it/wp/architectural-heritage-and-symbolic-historic-sites-negative-effects-of-conflicts-and-infringements-of-international-provisions/

https://www.proantic.com/en/display.php?id=893808

https://www.proantic.com/en/display.php?id=893808

Ife art derived close some from NOK. Ife art is very naturalistic with scarification.

characteristics
Figures are usually heavily headed and mainly heads; though few are plagues. Most IFE heads carry crest or cap.
Work produced through a unique process of bronze casting known as cire-perdu( cost wax method)

Art Type - court art are practiced in the palace of Oni of Ife to glorify the king.

A-- Culture: Ife Head
Period- between 10th and 6th century A.D
Location: Oyo state, Nigeria.
Medium- bronze, Terra cotta, stone and wood.

B-- Culture Nok
Period- about 500 B.C - 200 A.D
Location- Nigeria, around the small village of Nok, Taruga ( south east of Abuja)
Jemaa, wamba and kastina Ala
Medium- baked clay ( Terrstylized)

characteristics
The Sculptures- are mostly semi naturalistic, simple and stylized
• Large heads ( usually larger than Ife size) small body
• shapes of heads are either spherical, cylindrical or conical.
• Eyes shapes like inverted triangle with perforated pupils
• mouth wide open without showing any teeth.
•Exaggerated nostrils usually pierced
•Elaborated rich and bump hair- do
•Human figures are beaded around the neck.
•Human figures are stylized while the animals are naturalistic.

copyright
Art theory by I.N UZOAGBA
@steembroc
Unica Art Enterprise. & publishers (NIG)
Head office
No 20 T.T.C Road
Box 1617
Nsukka