Bamgboye, a sculptor, Odo-owa, Nigeria

The photograph depicts Yoruba sculptor Bamgboye (1893-1978) in his studio. "Despite this idealistic rendition of the human figure, Bamgboye is able to convey a story that presents his characters in a realistic cultural context. This approach to sculpting makes his work seem ethnographic, as if he were doing a demographic study of the community. Bamgboye shares this penchant for ethnographic details with Lamidi Fakeye." [Okediji, Moyosore B., 2002: African Renaissance: new forms, old images in Yoruba art. Chapter 2, pp.18-34. Boulder: University Press of Colorado]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970.