Statuette, Maori, Nouvelle-Zélande

Collecté par le Révérant Alfred Fairbrother dans la région de Rotorua, entre 1882 et 1886
Transmis par descendance
Skinner, Boston, 26 septembre 2009, n°186
Pierre Dartevelle, Bruxelles
Collection privée

Good condition overall. Wear consistent with age and use within the culture. Losses on the upper part of the fingers of the proper right hand. Few hairline cracks in places and one bigger in the centre of the forehead.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Le 2 avril 1888, le New Zealand Herald relatait la conférence donnée à Londres par le Révérant Alfred Fairbrother, missionnaire de l’Eglise Baptiste installé à Rotorua, de 1882 jusqu'à l'éruption du Mont Taraweka, le 10 juin 1886. "Fairbrother présenta également de nombreuses curiosités illustrant les traditions anciennes, les coutumes sociales et religieuses des Maori" (idem, p. 5). Parmi elles, cette petite statuette ornant à l'origine un élément architectural, remarquable par la force et la dynamique des volumes stylisés.