Alusi ancestral figure - Lot 89

Alusi ancestral figure Hardwood, remnants of natural ochre and white pigments, metal elements, marks of use and age, one arm and one foot broken and glued. Ibo, Nigeria, late 19th - early 20th century H_92 cm Among the Ibo of Nigeria, Alusi figures designate spiritual entities to which anthropomorphic sculptures are associated to support their presence. These figures do not represent ancestors in the strict sense, but embody supernatural forces - protective or fearsome - invoked during ceremonies, healing or justice rituals. Each community and lineage could have its own Alusi, whose sculpture was kept in a dedicated sanctuary and regularly honored with offerings. Female Alusi figures are particularly associated with fertility, protection of the home and continuity of the lineage. Their plastic treatment - slender bodies, incised scarification marks, metal elements - reflects the care taken in their manufacture, which was entrusted to specialized sculptors. The presence of forged metal refers to the power of Ala, the divinity of the earth and ancestors, central to cosmology. Expert : Serge REYNES