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Premium Pierre Bergé & Associés

89 - Alusi ancestral figure Hardwood, remains of natural ochre an…
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Estimate €1,500 - €2,000
Sale commission
Description
Alusi ancestral figure Hardwood, remains of natural ochre and white pigments, metal elements, marks of use and age, one arm and one foot broken and glued together Ibo, Nigeria, late 19th - early 20th century Height 92 cm Among the Ibo of Nigeria, Alusi figures refer to spiritual entities with which anthropomorphic sculptures are associated to support their presence. These figures do not represent ancestors in the strict sense, but embody supernatural forces - protective or fearsome - invoked during ceremonies, healing rituals or justice. Each community and lineage could have its own Alusi, whose sculpture was kept in a dedicated shrine and regularly honoured with offerings. Female Alusi figures are particularly associated with fertility, the protection of the home and the continuity of the lineage. Their plastic treatment - slender bodies, incised scarification marks, metal elements - reflects the care taken in their manufacture, which was entrusted to specialist sculptors. The presence of forged metal refers to the power of Ala, the divinity of the earth and the ancestors, central to the cosmology. - Expert : Serge REYNES
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About the sale Antonio Segui Collection: last memories
Auction location
Auction time 06/18/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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