Personnage debout · Nigéria, Eket · ID: 3042282
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Provenance
German Private Collection (collected in 1960)Description
light wood, encrusted dark brown patina, remains of pigments, pear-shaped body with short arms, flat head with reduced facial features, min. dam., missing parts through insect caused damage, fine cracks, slight traces of abrasion, base;
there are various theories about the usage of such figures: they might have been used for the puppet theatre “akan”, but they might as well have been placed on the shrine of a chief’s memorial “ngwomo”. Finally Eket figures were actually used as headdresses, danced in honour of the earth deities. They were more than likely also tutelary deities concerned with the health and prosperity of the people.
Littérature comparée
Neyt, Francois, L'Art Eket, Paris 1979, ill. 7