Tutelary Deity or Guardian Figure (alusi)

until 2005, in the collection of Michael J. Riegel (Madison, WI); 2005, following Riegel’s death, bequeathed via the Estate of Michael J. Riegel (Madison, WI) to the Chazen Museum of Art (Madison, WI)

• Cole, Herbert M. and Chike C. Aniakor, "Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos." Los Angeles: Museum of Cultural History, UCLA, 1984. pp. 89-99
• Celenko, Theodore. "A Treasury of African Art from the Harrison Eiteljorg Collection". Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983.

• Recent Acquisitions: African Art of the Igbo Peoples: Chazen Museum of Art, 11/1/2007–11/30/2007

This object, carved entirely from brown wood, portrays an upright, forward-facing nude human figure with elongated proportions. The figure has a tall, rectangular head topped by a flat, round headdress with a spherical knob. Deeply incised diagonal lines mark the forehead and temples, extending around the eyes. The eyes, nose, mouth, and ears are rendered as simple shapes with minimal detail. An elongated neck connects to rounded shoulders and a softly curved torso. The arms are bent at the elbows, presenting palms that face upward. The streamlined, cup-shaped hands are carved as part of the arms, each displaying five fingers of equal length. A vertical line of deeply carved ridges adorns the chest, running from between the breasts down to the lower belly and around a protruding navel. Below the waist, the genitalia are represented by a columnar penis flanked by spherical testicles. The long legs are slightly parted with a subtle bend at the knees, terminating in large, bulbous feet. Both lower legs and ankles are adorned with a stack of eight rings. Similar to the hands, all ten toes are uniform in length and otherwise unelaborated. The wood shows signs of wear, including cracks, scratches, and gouges, and its color is mottled, suggesting an unevenly worn dark encrustation.

• Africa
• Sculpture
• Alt Text Accessible

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