In this sculpture, a standing woman holds a ceremonial fan for Oshun, the Yoruba deity of the river, in her right hand. Her left hand rests on the head of an attendant, who holds an offering. The woman is wearing a beaded necklace, anklets, and bracelets, while the child strapped on her back wears a string of cowrie shells. The child has an eleborate hairstyle in preparation for a special role or ceremony.

The sculpture’s surface shows evidence of repeated ritual anointments and traces of indigo and kaolin pigments. In this tradition, indigo dye is associated with the worship of a deity, while kaolin translates communication with the ancestors. These dyes surpass the artist’s decorative intentions to give life to the object and contribute to its identity.