Africa | Nigeria
Mumuye Figure
Nigeria
Carved wood and pigments
Early 20th century
Height: 38 ¼ in. (97 cm)
Ex collection Alain Javelaud, France
Exhibited and published: “Collection Alain Javelaud”, Galerie Bernard Dulon, 2008, p. 46
Large Mumuye figure 97 cm ex collection Javelaud/ Galerie Flak
Price on request
The Mumuye live in the foothills of the Shebshi Mountains near the banks of the Benue in eastern Nigeria. This agrarian people is comprised of three different dialectal groups, and was long unknown to Westerners, who discovered their art only in the late 1960s.
The Mumuye used sculptures called Iagalagana in different rituals: the figures played a central role in ancestor worship and in curing ceremonies. They served as intercessors between the spirit world and that of men, and served as proof of the high status of the family that owned them.
The Mumuye used sculptures called Iagalagana in different rituals: the figures played a central role in ancestor worship and in curing ceremonies. They served as intercessors between the spirit world and that of men, and served as proof of the high status of the family that owned them.
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