Large Igbo Statue, Alusi, Nigeria

As is customary in the Onitsha region, this statue features a highly detailed carving of the face and torso; the upward-turned hands are particularly distinctive, symbolizing generosity and a willingness to receive offerings from the gods.
For enthusiasts, a very comprehensive and interesting study => IGBO SCULPTURES
It is still covered by numerous layers of pigment; originally white, they have turned gray over time.
These statues were kept in groups within shrines and were brought out each year, cleaned, repainted, decorated, and honored with a grand feast.
Note the beautiful work on the abdominal scarifications and on the upper forehead.
The Biafran Civil War in Nigeria devastated the Igbo communities; it lasted for more than three years in the 1960s and resulted in the loss of more than one million lives. This work is among the objects exported to Europe and the United States to finance the conflict.
Formerly in the Belgian collection of Serge Sheer.
Height 1 m; chips, wear, cracks.....