Altar

Odo Shango altar dedicated to Shango, the Yoruba god of thunder. The work, carved from an overturned mortar, is decorated with low-relief figures. On the front appears a figure holding a ritual rattle and a double-bladed axe, a distinctive attribute of the deity. At the base is a kneeling female figure supporting her breasts with her hands, while at the top a circular platform was intended for ritual offerings. Nigeria, Yoruba people, 20th century. Originally part of the Laura Franco Monti Collection, the work is now housed at the MUDEC in Milan (inv. 00021).

Massimo Fossati per Snap Shot S.a.s.

Courtesy MUDEC