African Ife Bronze Bust 1

By the 11th century A.D., Ife was already the holiest city to the Yoruba people, being the fabled birthplace of the human race. This largest and oldest Yoruba city became a center for art, and gave it’s name to a distinctive style of bronze and terra cotta busts. Bronze busts, like this created in the “Lost Wax” method, are treasured by African art collectors for their craftsmanship and rich texture. Modern Ife (also known as Ile-Ife, or Ife-Lodun in modern Nigeria) retains it's significance to the Yoruba, and continues it's tradition of elegant artistry.