Ceremonial Slippers
These richly embroidered slippers were created for Ọba Martin Olowu Akinsọrọju, the Lapoki (ruler) of Aye in Ondo State, to wear with an agbádá robe (2014.751.1) during public ceremonies. Each slipper combines a sturdy leather sole with a velvet upper stitched in metallic thread, a fusion of traditional Yoruba craftsmanship and imported luxury materials that became common in royal regalia during the 20th century.
Yoruba kings historically observed strict ritual seclusion and rarely appeared in public. Protocol discouraged them from wearing visible footwear. However, by the mid-20th century, increased royal visibility and evolving ceremonial standards led to the adoption of opulent slippers like these for state functions. Their form and materials highlight both the ọba’s sacred status and his cosmopolitan reach, signaling both ancestral authority and engagement with the wider world. Today, such slippers are essential elements of royal dress at coronations, festivals, and other major gatherings.
Sandro Capo Chichi, Research Associate, Arts of Africa, 2025
Yoruba kings historically observed strict ritual seclusion and rarely appeared in public. Protocol discouraged them from wearing visible footwear. However, by the mid-20th century, increased royal visibility and evolving ceremonial standards led to the adoption of opulent slippers like these for state functions. Their form and materials highlight both the ọba’s sacred status and his cosmopolitan reach, signaling both ancestral authority and engagement with the wider world. Today, such slippers are essential elements of royal dress at coronations, festivals, and other major gatherings.
Sandro Capo Chichi, Research Associate, Arts of Africa, 2025
Artwork Details
- Title: Ceremonial Slippers
- Artist: Yoruba or Nupe artist
- Date: mid-20th century
- Geography: Nigeria
- Culture: Yoruba peoples
- Medium: Leather, silk, metal, dye
- Dimensions: Each shoe: 3 x 11 in. (7.6 x 27.9 cm)
- Classification: Textiles-Costumes-Accessories
- Credit Line: Gift of Duro Olowu, 2014
- Object Number: 2014.751.2a, b
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
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