Superbe figure ancestrale masculine "siraha salawa"
Indonésie - Nias
Vendu
6 000 €
Provenance
Sotheby’s London, 29 June 1987, lot 2German Private Collection, Munich
Taille
H: 98,5 cm (with base)
H: 38.8 inch (with base)
Description
wood, pigments,
The figure shown here is particularly large and richly decorated. It is wearing a tall palm-leaf crown on its head, male earrings and “nifatali” neck jewellery.
It embodies a “siraha salawa”, a powerful and revered royal ancestor of the Nias people.
The figure is depicted standing with bent legs and holding batons in each hand, which is believed to symbolize the strength, power, and authority of the “siraha salawa” as a spiritual leader and protector of the community. These statues are usually placed in traditional houses or traditional ceremonies as a way to honour and respect the ancestor.