id: 286213 accession number: 2016.57 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.57 updated: 2021-01-16 10:05:10.418000 Male figure, probably 1800s. Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Benue River Valley, Unidentified maker. Copper alloy; height: 44.7 cm (17 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 2016.57 title: Male figure title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: probably 1800s creation date earliest: 1800 creation date latest: 1968 current location: 108A Sub-Saharan creditline: John L. Severance Fund copyright: --- culture: Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Benue River Valley, Unidentified maker technique: Copper alloy department: African Art collection: African Art type: Sculpture find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: height: 44.7 cm (17 5/8 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE Acquired by Helene Kamer (now Leloup) in Nigeria (Biafra) in 1968 or 1969 date: 1968 or 1993 footnotes: citations: sold to a private collector by Helene and Philippe Leloup, New York, NY date: 1993-2016 footnotes: citations: Private collector, New York date: ?-2016 footnotes: citations: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH 2016 by purchase date: 2016 to present footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: digital description: Realized in a very distinctive style using the lost-wax method, this figure’s cultural origin and function is limited because it was removed from Nigeria during that country’s turbulent civil war of the late 1960s. Perhaps it was once part of an altar or shrine dedicated to a guardian or tutelary spirit. Connotations of prestige and wealth may explain why copper-alloy objects were diffused across vast territory and inherited over many generations. wall description: Realized in a very distinctive style using the lost-wax method, this figure’s cultural origin and function is limited because it was removed from Nigeria during that country’s turbulent civil war of the late 1960s. Perhaps it was once part of an altar or shrine dedicated to a guardian or tutelary spirit. Connotations of prestige and wealth may explain why copper-alloy objects were diffused across vast territory and inherited over many generations. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS page number: url: --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.57/2016.57_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.57/2016.57_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.57/2016.57_full.tif