A clay ritual vessel of the Ewe from the Republic of Benin. A seated male figure with a crowned head rests on a tall, smooth cylinder.

1. Form and Modelling

The figure sits upright with its knees drawn up and both hands laid against the belly, the fingers marked by incised lines. The head is large and rounded, topped by a crown with two pointed projections. A row of fine dots outlines the brow. The eyes are open, hollow openings, the nose is small, and the mouth is slightly pursed and open, with teeth visible inside. Ears are indicated at the sides of the head. The figure is naked, with the male sex clearly modelled. Below the feet, the cylindrical shaft widens at its base and has a small round hole in its front.

2. Provenance

According to the collection catalogue, the vessel was obtained from the fetish priest Codjo in the village of Guinzin. The catalogue refers the reader to a related vessel in the collection.

3. Surface

The surface is mottled, with irregular patches of white and light brown spread over the whole figure and the shaft. The chalky white areas are thicker on the head and the lower part of the shaft.

Summary

A clay ritual vessel from the Ewe of Benin, in which a crowned seated figure rises from a cylindrical shaft.