Ancestor Figure

Manam Island, Papua New Guinea, 19th century

This very rare and early figure is standing on a humped base. The hands of the figure are held to its lower abdomen, the exaggerated head is tilted slightly forward, and the narrow, coffee-bean shaped eyes are deeply set in a surrounding frame. It has a large, beaked nose with a pierced septum. The conical headdress projects at an angle away from the figure. The figure is carved with non-metal tools and has a beautiful, deep brown patina.
Published: Art of the Sepik River and Papuan Gulf, Hunt-Nishi, Perani, Ohio, 1987, No. 3
Exhibited: Ohio University, 1987, Chicago, 1988.

The figure stands 18.5 inches tall on its custom stand.

SOLD / IN 202