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A Yipwon figure, Sepik, Papua New Guinea. Sculpted from a…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Auckland
Date:
17-May-2021
Lot No.
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Description:
A Yipwon figure, Sepik, Papua New Guinea. Sculpted from a single piece of timber, representing a yipwon spirit whose function was to help and protect men during hunting. Simplified shape of a body with a head, a leg and a foot, incorporating a series of opposed hooks. The eyes are cowrie inlaid and a tassel ornament is attached to the nostrils. The chevron motifs refer to the crocodile ancestor. Painted in traditional colours: red, yellow, black and white. Considered as very powerful figures, they would be kept in men's ceremonial house and only accessible to initiated men. When the first examples of such figures reached Europe, they revolutionized the conception of the human form in artistic practices. Height 128 cm
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Tribal: New Guinean