ancestral image - Eket - Nigeria (No Reserve Price)

Beautiful rare Eket sculpture from an ancestor shrine or altar, probably from the first half of the 20th century. Eket sculptures and masks are usually made of light wood covered with a thick layer of black plaster or paint, often featuring a heart-shaped carved face, just like this object. The face is painted white with black accents, with the eyes protruding slightly from the face, as well as the nose and mouth. On both sides of the face, there are three thick red dots. The sculpture has four cylindrical protrusions below the head in red and yellow or red and blue, on a conical body. Beneath that is a cylindrical base with three yellow bands, with four holes in the bottom band for attachment. At the bottom, there is a hollow carved almost 10 cm deep. The Eket are a small ethnic group related to the Ibibio and Ogoni in southeastern Nigeria. Such figures were placed on an altar and used in rituals for ancestors and for the well-being of the family. On top of the head, there is damage where some of the plaster is missing, and a crack runs through the wood on the left side of the head, see photos. The photos are part of the description. The sculpture measures 43 cm high, 14.7 cm wide, and 14.5 cm deep, and weighs 1398 grams. The object will be shipped well-packaged and insured.