Oya's Betrayal

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A framed oil painting by Harmonia Rosales depicting a story of the Yoruba Orishas Ogun, Oya, and Shango. The painting is on a wood panel with iron oxide and 24k gold leaf. The three Orishas are shown beneath a Renaissance style arch in front of a barren landscape. Ogun, standing at left, is in a green, gold, and red patterned robe, reaching towards Oya, who is seated along with Shango. Oya is in a purple and gold robe and has her hand on Shango’s knee. Shango is dressed in a red and gold robe. On his lap is a batá drum and his axe is held passively in his proper left hand. Each deity has a golden halo bearing the Orisha’s name in Spanish, Portuguese, and Yoruba: [OGGUN / OGUN / OGUM / __OU]; [_A / OIA / OYA / OIA / ASNA_]; and [CHANGO / SHANGO / SANGO / XANG_].

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