Igbo Ikenga Figure

Hand-carved by master craftsmen, Ikenga figures were commissioned among the Igbo people of Nigeria to honor an individual's accomplishments. The figures were consecrated and placed in home shrines, where they stood in testament to one’s personal achievements. Like this piece, Ikenga figures were carved by the individual they represented, and their beauty was therefore a direct reflection of the individual's skill and stature. Despite the figure's small scale, the high, extended antlers and use of negative space give the piece an undeniable sculptural form.