Male shrine figure "alusi" · Nigeria, Igbo · ID: 3052866
German Private Collection, Hamburg
Description
wood, polychrome paint, insect caused damage, base
Figures such as these embody protective deities and were kept in the cult houses of communities and families. Once a year, they were presented in public ceremonies, thereby strengthening the relationship between the people and the deity.
The object Male shrine figure “alusi” with the object ID 3052866 was part of the auction Auction 106 on April 25, 2026. The object with the lot number 316 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,700 with an asking price of EUR 1,500.
You can find more Figures and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.
Comparing literature
Cole, Herbert M. & Chike C. Aniakor, Igbo Arts, Los Angeles 1984 p. 94 f. Schädler, Karl-Ferdinand, Afrikanische Kunst in Deutschen Privatsammlungen, München 1973, p. 204, ill. 284 & 292