IDNO

P.170944.GIJ

Description

A clay sculpture of a female figure sitting on a plinth on the outer wall of an Mbari house. The figure has geometric uli patterns, including rings, rosettes and circles, on her neck and torso. Her hair is in bunches painted black with a single white dot in each bunch. Her arms are stretched wide and in her raised hands she holds a needle and a mirror. To the left of the image is part of a seated male figure wearing a cardigan, tie, shorts and shoes.[Description from record P.762003.GIJ, PB 09/05/2024]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Imo State; 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

Format

Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.170921.GIJ - P.171076.GIJ were located together in a brown box, now numbered C766/.

P.170934.GIJ - P.171076.GIJ were located in a paper folder now numbered C766/3/.

Bibliographical Reference: G.I. Jones explains 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 09/05/2024]

Context: Detailed notes by G.I. Jones on this house, each figure and the house plan are in the paper folder C766/1. The numbers 1 - 33 on print reverse and mounts relate to these notes and the plan indicates the positions of the figures. [PB 09/05/2024]