The Woman with Four Breasts

Object Details

Asiru Olatunde, 1918-1993, born Nigeria

Label Text

Executed in Olatunde's narrative format, this large panel is based on a well-known Yoruba story, which is paraphrased below:

A long time ago, there reigned a king whose wife gave birth to a female child with four breasts. The king was ashamed of his daughter and when she grew up, she chose to leave her father. In the bush (the uncultivated land outside town), she met a hunter, and they got married. Their marriage was based on two promises: he would not abuse her because of her four breasts and she would not cook certain foods that were forbidden to him. The couple's eventual breaking of these two vows led to a fight and the departure of the woman. The woman returned to her father, the king, but she still felt unaccepted and returned to the bush where she became a river. The king searched for his daughter and found the river and returned to his palace and rejoiced.

Description

Sheet aluminum panel with reverse repousee technique on a vertical rectangle divided into four registers with eight scenes. Scenes depict a woman with four breasts, a traditional king, a woods and stream.

Provenance

J. Newton Hill, New York, acquired Nigeria, 1960s

Mr. and Mrs. J. Newton Hill, New York, 1960s to 1995

Exhibition History

Currents: Water in African Art, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., June 2016-ongoing

A Concrete Vision: Oshogbo Art in the 1960s, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 23-October 22, 2000

Published References

National Museum of African Art. 2000. A Concrete Vision: Oshogbo Art in the 1960s. Exhibition booklet. Washington, D.C: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution (not illustrated).

Content Statement

As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.

Image Requests

High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Louise C. Hill

Early 1960s

Object number

95-16-4

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Sculpture

Medium

Aluminum

Dimensions

H x W: 122 x 77.5 cm (48 1/16 x 30 1/2 in.)

Geography

Oshogbo, Nigeria

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Exhibition

Currents: Water in African Art

On View

NMAfA, Second Level Concourse

National Museum of African Art

Topic

weapon

tree

male

female

Record ID

nmafa_95-16-4

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7131880ea-8eaa-4850-b3e5-2ed806e76706