Female ekon marionette

19th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 343

Central to the social parodies once organized by the Ekon society were two visually contrasting categories of female marionettes. While one portrayed the virginal purity of a young woman, the other lampooned the wicked or sexually promiscuous crone. This is an example of the latter, with its downturned breasts, coiled pupils, and exaggerated, asymmetrical arms. While Ekon performances were satirical in nature, the carving of marionettes and elaborate protocols surrounding their preparation were treated with the utmost secrecy and ritual seriousness.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Female ekon marionette
Artist: Eket-Ibibio artist
Date: 19th century
Geography: Nigeria, Cross River region
Culture: Ibibio peoples
Medium: Wood, pigment
Dimensions: H. 28 1/2 x W. 14 1/4 x D. 6 1/2 in. (72.5 x 36.2 x 16.5 cm)
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of the Matthew T. Mellon Foundation, 1960
Object Number: 1978.412.403a-c
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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