Big male ancestor figure · Papua New Guinea - Wosera · ID: 3032583
Michael Hamson, Palos Verdes, California, USA
Description
wood, yellow ochre, white, red and black pigment, carrying a big hornbill on the head, the body ornamentally painted with lattice patterns and breast ornament, nice detail: carved with the handle of a knife, which the Sepik men used to wear stuck into the armrings, slightly dam., minor missing parts, cracks, on metal plate;
the Wosera are referred to in the literature as the “southern Abelam”, and the two groups have definite cultural and artistic links. While the Abelam usually carve with very little depth, the Wosera, on the other hand, have a highly developed sense of plastic form. The ancestor figures - just like the skulls - encorporate the deceased. The head as abode of vital force is disproportionately emphasized.
The object Big male ancestor figure with the object ID 3032583 was last part of the auction 68th tribal art auction at March 3, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 42 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,500.
You can find more Figures and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on Oceanian art.
Publications
Exhibition Catalogue "Arts of New Guinea", 1964
Exhibition
Travelling Exhibition "Arts of New Guinea", 1964/65: Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Municipal Art Gallery Los Angeles, Seattle Art Museum, Portland Art Museum