A female Mumuye sculpture, decorated with a textile necklace, remnants of white kaolin; fine shiny brown to reddish patina.

"Sculptors in Nigeria's Benue River valley have created a broad range of variations on the bold
conception of the human form represented by this piece. Although the role such works originally
played is undocumented, and therefore remains unclear, the primary one that has been attributed
to them is as an oracle. Mumuye sculptural works, which range in scale from 20 to 160 centimeters,
appear to have been deployed for a variety of needs, including divination, healing, and protection.1

According to Jan Strybol, figurative sculpture enhanced the influence and reputations of leaders
and religious specialists in Mumuye society by furthering their efforts to predict the future, heal the
sick, and make rain fall.2 Their interaction with these figurative implements is characterized as a
dialogue prompted by physical handling. According to some accounts, applications of substances
such as the juice of the gadele plant on the figure's face might serve as a catalyst for activating its
power to communicate. When manipulated over the course of judicial trials, the figure may judge the
veracity of testimony provided, and its heightened awareness enables it to identify criminals.." MET, NY

600 - 700,- Euro

Height: 51 cm
Weight: 1,2 cm