The King’s Horseman: Portraits of Authority in Southwestern Nigeria

This paper documents the visual culture of Nigeria at beginning twentieth century. It offers a discussion single piece woodcarving and places this in relation to workshop carvings Yoruba town Abeokuta. More precisely, it that work into context colonial history, suggesting carving is portrait record particular event. The looks other examples woodcarving, placing them relationship with historical events before moving wider consideration its representations cultural agency British regime.