Accession Number
2000/2.118

Title
Maternity Figure

Artist(s)

Object Creation Date
early 20th century

Medium & Support
terracotta

Dimensions
11 13/16 in x 6 1/2 in x 6 11/16 in (30 cm x 16.5 cm x 17 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis

Subject matter
Ntekpe, or ‘children of the shrine’, are figures placed in Igbo family shrines by women dealing with infertility. Within this context, the figure becomes both an offering and a display of the desire for children. Usually made by older women, these figures often feature a single mother and child or a male and female pair.

References Cited:
Cole, Herbert M. and Chike C. Aniakor. 1984. Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos. Los Angeles: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History.
LaGamma, Alisa. 2000. "Art and Oracle: Spirit Voices of Africa." African Arts 33.1: 52-69.
LaGamma, Alisa and John Pemberton. 2000. Art and Oracle: African Art and Rituals of Divination. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Physical Description
Seated female figure holding a child on her lap. The figure has a bracelet on each wrist and a pattern of incised lines on the chest and neck. The face also has scarification marks along the forehead, nose, and on each side of the eyes. 

Primary Object Classification
Sculpture

Primary Object Type
figure

Collection Area
African

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
children (people by age group)
deities
fertility
mothers
shrines (structures)
women (female humans)