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Iphri shrine

19th–20th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 343
The assertive quality of an iphri force may be cultivated and harnessed by directing prayers and offerings to a personal shrine. The essential visual component of such an altar, prescribed by a diviner to those seeking advantage in conflict, is a four-legged beast with a gaping maw. The dominant human protagonist represents the patron’s spirit double. He is surrounded by a cluster of subsidiary figures under his authority, two of which he grasps in his clenched fists.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Iphri shrine
  • Artist: Urhobo artist
  • Date: 19th–20th century
  • Geography: Nigeria, Niger Delta region
  • Culture: Urhobo peoples
  • Medium: Wood, iron nails, pigment
  • Dimensions: H. 32 7/8 × W. 14 × D. 14 1/4 in. (83.5 × 35.6 × 36.2 cm)
  • Classification: Wood
  • Credit Line: Gift of Jeff Soref, 2011
  • Object Number: 2011.216
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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Bini oru (water spirit) crest, Eastern or Kalabari Ijo artist, Wood, cartridge shells, rattan, iron, paint, Ijo peoples
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Eastern or Kalabari Ijo artist
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Iphri shrine, Ijo artist, Wood, pigment, Ijo peoples
Iphri shrine
Ijo artist
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Bini oru (water spirit) crest, Ijo artist, Mangrove wood, paint, Ijo peoples
Bini oru (water spirit) crest
Ijo artist
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Dance crest, Ejagham artist, Wood, animal hide, cane, iron, pigment, bone or ivory, Ejagham peoples
Dance crest
Ejagham artist
19th–mid-20th century
Pendant mask of Ìyọ́bà Idià, Ìgbèsànmwà (ivory- and wood- carving guild) artists, Ivory, iron, brass, coal, traces of iron oxides, Edo
Pendant mask of Ìyọ́bà Idià
Ìgbèsànmwà (ivory- and wood- carving guild) artists
16th century

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