Ife
Artist
Elizabeth Catlett
(American, 1915-2012)
CultureAmerican
Date2002
MediumMahogany
DimensionsOverall: 19 1/2 x 18 x 38 in. (49.5 x 45.7 x 96.5 cm)
InscribedInscribed at the figure's hip: EC
Credit LineGift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., by exchange, in honor of Andrew S. Fine in recognition of his outstanding service as a Museum Trustee and as Board Chairman, 1999-2002
Object number2002.3
Collections
On View
Chrysler Museum of Art, 282, 1, 9 SHELF 1
Label TextElizabeth Catlett American, 1915–2012 Ife, 2002 Mahogany Elizabeth Catlett’s powerful sculpture refers to the ancient kingdom of Ile-Ife in the Yoruba-speaking region of Nigeria. The city, which still exists, was a central city-state in West Africa from the 1000s to the 1500s. It is still very prominent within contemporary Nigerian society as the place where life began. The mythology states that Yoruba peoples are descended from the orisas—deities—who came into being in Ife. Catlett interprets the Yoruba creation myth as a proud and powerful goddess. The artist took wood, a material used in many Nigerian carvings, and crafted it smooth. Thus, Catlett’s Ife has a sensuous texture, and her curved forms embody the source of human life. Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., by exchange, in honor of Andrew S. Fine in recognition of his outstanding service as a Museum Trustee and as Board Chairman, 1999–2002 2002.3 ProvenanceThe artist; June Kelly Gallery, Inc., 2002; Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. by Exchange to the Chrysler Museum in honor of Andrew S. Fine in recognition of his outstanding service as a Museum Trustee and as Board Chairman, 1999-2002, 2002. Exhibition History"Work of the Month," McKinnon Galleries of Modern Art, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., February 2003. "Women of the Chrysler: a 400-Year Celebration of the Arts," Large Changing Gallery, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., March 24 - July 18, 2010. "Elizabeth Catlett: A Collector's Passion," Gallery 220, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., June 2, 2010 - January 16, 2011. "Remix Redux: A Fresh Mix For Our Modern And Contemporary Galleries," Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, August 15 - December 30, 2012. “Riffs and Relations: African American Artists and the European Modernist Tradition,” The Phillips Collection, February 29, 2020 - January 3, 2021 Published ReferencesValerie Gladstone, "Strong Enough to Keep On Till She Got Her Due," _The New York Times_ (Sunday, April 7, 2002), art/architecture section, 33. Teresa Annas, "Expressions of Life: Artist draws on her heritage to create artworks celebrating black women," _The Virginian-Pilot_ (September 26, 2002): Hampton Roads section, B1, B4. Martha N. Hagood and Jefferson C. Harrison, _American Art at the Chrysler Museum: Selected Paintings, Sculpture, and Drawings_ (Norfolk, Va.: Chrysler Museum of Art, 2005), 268-269, no. 163. Jeff Harrison, _Collecting with Vision: Treasures From the Chrysler Museum of Art_ (London: D. Giles Ltd., 2007), 85, fig. 102. Adrienne L. Childs, _Riffs and Relations: African American Artists and the European Modernist Tradition_, exh. cat., The Phillips Collection in association with Rizzoli Electa, New York, 2020, 48, plate 13.
Unknown
10th century A.D.
