Perlada Statue of Notable

They are called "pearl" figures, masks, statues or any other object covered with beads or ceramic pearls. The art of pearl was reserved for royal families, with pearls or ceramic beads imported from Germany at the beginning of the century. XX and large quantities of multicolored glass beads that were imported from Venice for centuries. For a time slaves were exchanged for glass pearls. They are cutting or real arts. Their originality consists in having introduced polychrome thanks to the technique of pearling or covering of statues with beads and multicolored beads. This art is exclusively reserved for the king, his family and some notables, as well as the art of forging and casting of metals. Both in Cameroon and Nigeria, art and power were intimately united. It seems that some kings practiced pearl art. Pearl statuettes appear in some ceremonies organized by secret societies to establish contact with the deceased in order to obtain their protection. Others are destined for the altars of kings.

This figure represents an important character, of category well above that of a notable. This knight escorted by four pages, dressed in ceremonial robes and carrying large sticks, can only be an Oba or rather a representation of the Alafin of Oyo, or of one of his knights, whose empire of Yoruba language extends, from 160 a 1830The emperor, the Alafin, is invested with the power of supreme judge, but his power is not omnimode, it is countered by the power of the Council, made up of the heads of seven families outside royalty.

The knights Oyo undertake great conquests by expanding the territory. Many of the Yoruba equestrian figures and the Epa masks recall these gentlemen.

The costumes of these characters like all surfaces of the figure are covered with beads of different colors forming in the vertical robes bands in which the blue and green colors alternate with the white, leaving the red color heads and necks. Very old piece that accuses the passage of time.