IDNO

P.171756.GIJ

Description

A clay sculpture of a leopard in an Mbari house. The whole body of the leopard is visible facing towards the camera. The leopard is standing by the carved body of its prey - a goat - and appears to be eating its flesh (pieces of meat are protruding from the leopard's mouth. In the foreground to the right are part of arm, leg and the body of a carved figure sitting next to the prey. The arm and body are decorated with stripes in a herringbone pattern. The image is made in the interior of a room with walls painted with a geometric design featuring lozenge shapes of different shades, some enclosing circles. [Description from record P.169807.GIJ, PB 14/11/2024]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Owerri North; Imo; Ulakwo town

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

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.171730.GIJ - P.171808.GIJ were located together in an 'University of Camridge' envelope, now numbered C841/.

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).

Bibliographical Reference: H.M. Cole describes Mbari houses and sculptures in Cole H.M., 1982. Mbari: Art and Life among the Owerri Igbo, (Bloomington: Indiana University Press).