Ìkéǹgà shrine figure

Late 19th–mid-20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 359

The personal achievements of men have been associated with the right hand in Igbo society. Their ambitious pursuits are honored through the construction of shrines that receive regular offerings to ensure their continued efficacy. Ìkéǹgà may take a broad range of material forms. The classic imagery of this example features a flourish of curving ram’s horns, emblematic of stubborn perseverance, at the summit. In either hand the figure brandishes attributes of male virility in the form of a machete and the skull of a vanquished foe.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Ìkéǹgà shrine figure
Artist: Igbo artist
Date: Late 19th–mid-20th century
Geography: southeastern Nigeria
Culture: Igbo peoples
Medium: Wood
Dimensions: H. 19 1/8 × W. 4 1/4 × D. 4 5/8 in. (48.6 × 10.8 × 11.7 cm)
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Purchase, John R. H. Blum Gift, 1971
Object Number: 1978.412.628
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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