Tribal Art

Ex-collection of French African tribal art.
This African sculpture called "ugonachonma" depicts a young nubile woman. It included staging in village squares during dry season entertainment ceremonies. These figures are specific to village age groups in the north central Igbo region, around Onitsha and Awka. Women have specific criteria of Igbo beauty, including uli tattoos. Eroded matte patina, discreet polychrome highlights, drying cracks and gaps.
br>The Igbo worship a considerable number of deities known as alusi, or agbara, considered to be the descendants of Chuku, or Chukwu, and as such constitute intermediaries to whom sacrifices such as kola nuts, money, kaolin, are granted in order to enjoy their favors. These sculptures produced in several regions range from around forty centimeters to human size, and are decorated with more or less elaborate aristocratic attributes. The sculptors turn out to be men, but female followers often contribute by completing the work using colored pigments. During the year, these statues are grouped by symbolic families and venerated by the village in boxes reserved for them.