Small seated female shrine figure · Nigeria, Igbo · ID: 3046381
Peter Willborg, Stockholm, Sweden
Description
wood, residues paint and pigments, “ichi” scarification marks on the forehead, collection number “73944” (M. Willborg), further inscription at the nape “Bristol” and numbering, missing parts/ insect caused damage, base
Most of the Igbo figures were created to address community concerns, and most were collectively owned, if sometimes by lineages on behalf of a larger group. Most figural sculptures were housed in shrines dedicated to tutelary deities heading public cults and associated with parts of the natural world such as rivers, forests, the earth, or with days of the week and the markets held on them.
The object Small seated female shrine figure with the object ID 3046381 was last part of the auction 94th Tribal Art Auction at March 7, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 44 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,000.
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Comparing literature
Cole, Herbert M., Igbo, Milan 2013, p. 92 f.
Publications
AHDRC: 0170497