IDNO

P.170715.GIJ

Description

A close up portrait of the clay figure of the 'Owner of the House' in an Mbari house. He is Amadioha, spirit of the sky and thunder. He is seated on a chair or throne. He is wearing a striped collarless gown and a sun helmet, and with his outstretched arms he holds an ivory tusk horn in his right hand and an iron staff in his left. His feet are resting on a low wall with a small bowl next to his left. foot. On either side are seated two female attendant figures. The figure to the left of the image has swirling geometric uli patterns on her torso, and holds a water pot on her lap. The figure to the right is holding a pestle in her right hand. In the background is a painted alcove and wall with geometric shapes and other male and female sculptures. [PB 05/03/2024]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Imo; Oratta; Umowa

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Oratta Ibo

Named Person

Photographer

Jones, Gwilliam Iwan (known as G.I.)

Collector / Expedition

Date

1936

Collection Name

Jones Collection

Source

Jones, Ursula

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.170715.GIJ - P.170801.GIJ were located in an Ilford paper box, now numbered C762/.

P.170715.GIJ - P.170733.GIJ were located in a paper folder, now numbered C762/1, and are a sequence of images of the same Mbari house.

Bibliographical Reference: G.I. Jones describes Mbari sculptures on pp. 82-92 and Mbari house architecture on p. 104 in Jones G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria. (Cambridge: CUP). [PB 05/03/2024]