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Artwork Details
1-1/4 x 16 x 16 in.
Accession NumberGift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Eiteljorg
Copyright(Mourtala Diop, New York and Dakar,Senegal) sold on 1 November 1977 to Harrison Eiteljorg [1903-1997] of Indianapolis, Indiana; given to the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields in 1989.
The god Ifa is associated with order, stability and knowledge. Clients seeking guidance consult diviners, highly trained specialists, who mediate between the clients and Ifa. They recite verses that correspond to lines marked in wood powder or flour on a tray like the one exhibited here. The information the clients are seeking is contained within those verses.
The faces along the edge of the tray refer to Ifa's friend Esu, a messenger god. Esu, also known as Elegba, is associated with unpredictable, unrestrained and mischievous behavior that parallels similar aspects of human nature. In his capacity as "divine enforcer" he causes misfortune for those who have neglected or offended the gods. There are also positive aspects to his actions associated with productivity, change and growth.
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Artworks that appear in the image file(s) above may be in copyright or have other legal and/or cultural restrictions to their use. For clarity, Newfields does not claim copyright to the image files created by Newfields of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Newfields makes every effort to ascertain the copyright status of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Please refer to the RightsStatements.org statement above for information about the current copyright status of the artwork. Additionally, some artworks may include Local Context’s Notices or Labels that attribute cultural authority of the artwork’s heritage and data.
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