Zemanek-Münster

Standing male ancestor figure "kawe" ·  Westneuguinea / Westpapua (Irian Jaya), Asmat · ID: 3038257

sold EUR 500
Provenance
B. Posthuma, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Size
H: 123 cm
H: 48.4 inch

Description

light wood, white and red pigment, black paint, high towering figure with overlong limbs, incised scarification marks, pierced septum, slightly dam., abrasion of paint, rep. (both ankles, right hand), plate;
such figures are carved for the building of a new Men’s House and are left to decay after the inauguration ceremonies. They represent the first humans, or “asmat”. In the Creation myth, a great cultural heroe “fumeripit” carved many large human figures. As he began to play his drum, the figures came to life as the original people and formed the first clans.


The object Standing male ancestor figure “kawe” with the object ID 3038257 was last part of the auction 79th Tribal Art Auction at March 21, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 35 achieved a sales price of EUR 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.


Comparing literature

Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, p. 82, ill. 62


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