Esu Dance Staff (Ogo Elegbara)
Yoruba
Mid–late 19th century
Medium
Wood
Dimensions
49.6 × 17.8 × 22.9 cm (19 1/2 × 7 × 9 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
117845
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This dance staff for the deity Eshu depicts a warrior flanked by a bound captive and a nursing mother. This work was made during a turbulent period of civil war. The warrior’s cap is depicted as a crooked phallus, which is a symbol of Eshu—the divine messenger, facilitator, and provocateur—and allows for the staff to be hooked over the shoulder.