Male ancestor figure "adu zatua", around 1900 ·  Indonesia - Nias · ID: 3043000

Description

wood, reddish brown patina, traces of black paint, traditional posture with hands folded in front of the body, simple palm leaf crown, old collection label with faded inscription (unreadable) on the backside, slightly dam., cracks, rep. (breakage: right foot/base), base partly renewed.
The general word in Nias for sculpture is “adu”. The function, symbolism, and names of the “adu” are bewildering and knowledge of their specific use incomplete. What is known is that they served as mediators between the supernatural and natural world of humans, by which the islands inhabitants communicated with and influenced the ancestors, gods, and spirits for two main purposes: to secure prosperity and blessings and to protect against disease and disaster.

The object Male ancestor figure “adu zatua”, around 1900 with the object ID 3043000 was last part of the auction 87th Tribal Art Auction at November 11, 2017 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 7 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,800.

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Comparing literature

Sibeth, Achim & Bruce W. Carpenter, Nias Sculpture, Mandala Collection, 2013, p. 96 ff.