Urhobo Statue, Nigéria

Superb Urhobo figure representing a founding ancestor, seated on a stool in a hieratic position: the body upright, the arms alongside the body, elbows thrown back to highlight the torso, the powerful shoulders, the legs apart. The angular face is dominated by a large forehead adorned with seven vertical keloids, the eyes and mouth projecting forward, showing filed teeth which accentuate the aggressiveness of the expression. The character represented in its simplest device, is adorned with various ornaments insignia of authority and prestige: a two-row necklace carved in relief from which is suspended a medicine calabash intended to repel aggressions, large anklets and bracelets, a top hat with braids protruding from the back of the skull. These figures materialize the founding ancestors capable of protecting the community from malicious spirits. They were worshiped and placed on altars.
Ancient customary patina made of ocher pigments, left over of kaolin and paint on the ornaments.

GO TO THE VIDEO          GO TO THE CATALOG

Origin
Ex French collection