Marionette: Female

Unknown

19th century · Wood, pigment · Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Central to the social parodies once organized by the Ekon society were two visually contrasting categories of female marionettes. While one portrayed the virginal purity of a young woman, the other lampooned the wicked or sexually promiscuous crone. This is an example of the latter, with its downturned breasts, coiled pupils, and exaggerated, asymmetrical arms. While Ekon performances were satirical in nature, the carving of marionettes and elaborate protocols surrounding their preparation were treated with the utmost secrecy and ritual seriousness.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

Wood, pigment

Culture

Ibibio peoples

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Credit line

The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of the Matthew T. Mellon Foundation, 1960