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126
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Pair of Igbo-Izi sculptures (Nigeria)
Wood.
See original version (French)
126
-
Pair of Igbo-Izi sculptures (Nigeria)
Wood.
See original version (French)
Estimate €6,000 - €10,000
Voluntary lot
Description
Pair of Igbo-Izi sculptures (Nigeria)
Wood. H. 144 and 149 cm
Rare and important pair of figures of spirits or deities of nature
depicted standing. The female figure wears a classic multi-shelled headdress and a scarred abdomen.
and a scarified abdomen.
Her arms are stretched forward with palms turned towards the heavens as a gesture of
the heavens, as if in a gesture of offering. His male counterpart, strongly
also has his arms stretched forward, his left hand palm upwards.
turned upwards. The right hand was originally intended to hold a weapon or sceptre.
sceptre.
His head is topped with a kind of colonial helmet, a symbol of power
integrated by the indigenous populations since the beginning of
colonisation.
Note that the particular style of the faces is identical to that of the heads
heads sculpted on the backs of many 'ogbodo enyi' elephant masks
used by Igbo-Izi groups.
Provenance:
- Former Roger Azar collection (Paris)
- Sale Maîtres Lombrail et Teucquam Paris Hôtel Drouot
30 September 2002 No. 76
- Featured in the "Nixeria" exhibition Auditorio de Galicia, Santiago de
Compostela 4 March - 28 May 1995, under no. 67.
Bibliography :
- Cole & Aniakor, "Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos", Los Angeles
Los Angeles 1984 page 97 for another rare pair of this type.
of this typology.
- Reproduced in François Neyt:
"Elephant mask and Igbo statuary" in Arts d'Afrique No. 32 (Winter
1979) page 42.
- Reproduced in the catalogue written by François Neyt and Ramon Sarro
page 115, of the exhibition "Nixeria" Auditorio de Galicia, Santiago de
Compostela 4 March - 28 May 1995.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits:
DIGARD AUCTION
See original version (French)
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