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Maternity Figure

Igbo

Artwork Details

Maternity Figure
circa 1950
Igbo
terracotta with white pigment
9 5/8 in x 4 1/2 in x 5 13/16 in (24.5 cm x 11.5 cm x 14.8 cm)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Pinsof
1983/2.174

Tags

Description

Subject Matter:

Ntekpe, or ‘children of the shrine’, are figures placed in Igbo family shrines by women dealing with infertility. Within this context, the figure becomes both an offering and a display of the desire for children. Usually made by older women, these figures often feature a single mother and child or a male and female pair.

References Cited:
Cole, Herbert M. and Chike C. Aniakor. 1984. Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos. Los Angeles: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History.
LaGamma, Alisa. 2000. "Art and Oracle: Spirit Voices of Africa." African Arts 33.1: 52-69.
LaGamma, Alisa and John Pemberton. 2000. Art and Oracle: African Art and Rituals of Divination. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Physical Description:

Clay female figure seated on a stool, holding a nursing baby. 

Usage Rights:

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