Description:

Western Africa, Nigeria, Igbo peoples, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A finely-aged example of a horned anthropomorphic shrine figure known as an "ikenga," hand-carved from lightweight wood. The ikenga is a ritual object in Igbo society that symbolizes self-sufficiency and individual perseverance. Simple forms of these figures can be merely horns protruding from a wooden block, the horns being symbolic of the aggression of the male animal. This is a more-realized figure - painted with an espresso-hued pigment and sitting atop a conical base - with a stylized head and abstract bodily form, carved three-dimensionally with detailing on all sides, with an enormous pair of arching horns on top. Size: 3.75" W x 9.625" H (9.5 cm x 24.4 cm).

Provenance: ex-Adeon Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA, acquired prior to 1970

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#130778

  • Condition: Age-commensurate surface wear and abrasions, fading, and chipping to pigmentation, losses to frontal horn above face and tips of larger curved horns, and some minor discoloration. Light earthen deposits throughout.

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May 24, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$5,000 $9,999 $500
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$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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