Helmet (Gelede)
Helmet
Attribution follows a published museum catalogue or peer-reviewed scholarship. Object is held in a public collection under a published accession number.
This type of helmet used by the Oro association, is often mistaken for the more common Egungun. While Egungun masquerades are performed to honor an individual’s ancestors, Oro masquerades are performed in conjunction with the actual funeral of a Yoruba person. The Oro association is very secretive, and the visibility of helmets like this one is generally restricted. Oro is also responsible for carrying out criminal sentences, such as collecting fines, repossessing goods, and executing those convicted of a capital crime. The female figure suspended from the back of the horns may reference the victims of Oro executions. This work has been attributed to the Esubiyi School of Abeokuta, founded about 1860.
Catalogued by Cleveland Museum of Art as “Helmet”, dated late 1800s–early 1900s. Harvested from the museum’s open-access record; every field below is copied from that record and none of it has been inferred.
Record
| People / culture | Yoruba |
|---|---|
| Country | Nigeria |
| Common name | Helmet |
| Subject depicted | Ancestor or named individual |
| Materials | Wood and paint |
| Dimensions | Overall: 62.9 cm (24 3/4 in.) |
Provenance
Mrs. Cornelius Sullivan (Mary) (at least 1935)
Everett Rassiga, New York (1921/22–2003) (?-1962)
Katherine White Reswick (1962–69)
The Cleveland Museum of Art by gift (1969–)
| Collection | Cleveland Museum of Art |
|---|---|
| Accession number | 1969.5 |
Source
https://clevelandart.org/art/1969.5
This record is a catalogue entry, not an appraisal, valuation or legal determination. Nothing here should be read as evidence that an object was lawfully acquired or exported.