*Dish, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea L. 47,5... - Lot 77 - De Baecque et Associés

Lot 77
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Estimation :
4000 - 6000 EUR
*Dish, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea L. 47,5... - Lot 77 - De Baecque et Associés
*Dish, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea L. 47,5 cm Provenance: Bruno Mencke Collection, Stuttgart, acquired ca. 1901 Linden Museum, Stuttgart Collection Peter and Vera Schnell, Zurich, ca. 1970 European private collection, acquired ca. 2000 Private collection, Switzerland The Sepik River is of vital importance in the history of Papua New Guinea, giving rhythm to the lives and rituals of those who live on its banks. Nourishing, it is a real source of wealth and an essential means of transport in the region which shelters an immense diversity of cultures and languages (Bahinemo, iatmul, ramu, kwoma, yuat, chambri, ngala, karawari). From these cultures are born fascinating artistic creations, sculptures of ancestors, as well as utilitarian objects are made with ingenuity and technicality. The symbolic and powerful universe of this art fascinated artists and surrealists, notably André Breton and Paul Éluard. In her memoirs upon her return from her trip Goldie states that "oblong shaped wooden dishes were widely used in Kerepuna, they were probably used as food bowls." (Catalogue of Papuan artifacts associated with Andrew Goldie, in Memoirs of the Queensland Museum / Culture. Vol. 6, December 18, 2012) Although utilitarian these dishes reveal the high degree of Papuan finesse, stylization, refinement and technicality as evidenced by this rare example. The oblong oval-shaped bowl has a jagged edge in places. The two ends, the sleeves, are sublimated, of four elongated characters in high relief. They present the typical stylistic characteristics of the Sepik -a long conical headdress (as a sleeve), skilfully linking the two figures present on the face and the reverse of the dish, turning their backs, the hemmed nose a sign and symbol of strength and masculinity. The long folded legs are spread out in relief on the inside of the dish, thus intensifying the presence of the stylized figures. This dish is distinguished from the classical corpus by the presence and the complexity of the treatment of these dualities of characters animating of beauty its the whole. This lot is temporarily imported and is subject to a 5.5% fee payable by the buyer in addition to the selling expenses and the hammer price.
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