Kanak Mask, New Caledonia

Cornelis Pieter Meulendijk (1912-1979), Rotterdam
By descent from the above
Christie's London, The Meulendijk Collection of Tribal Art - Part 1, October 21, 1980, lot 275
Maureen Zarember, New York
Allan Stone, New York, acquired from the above on July 15, 1981

Museum voor Land- en Volkenkunde, Rotterdam, Indonesië-Oceanië: Kunst uit particulier bezit. Tentonstelling in het Museum voor Land- en Volkenkunde te Rotterdam, July 27 - October 3, 1965

Museum voor Land- en Volkenkunde te Rotterdam, Indonesië-Oceanië: Kunst uit particulier bezit. Tentonstelling in het Museum voor Land- en Volkenkunde te Rotterdam, Rotterdam, 1965, pl. 93, cat. 388

Very good condition overall for an object of this type and age. Some stable vertical age cracks, including one from lower lip through chin and one to top element above forehead. Cavity beside proper right eye, possibly old insect damage or an inherent flaw in the wood. Thin glued crack at proper right outer edge. 5 teeth broken as seen in catalogue photograph. Minor scratches, abrasions, wear, and small cracks consistent with age and use. Exceptionally fine dark brown aged patina on front and back, blackened on the face. Remains of an old label on center of reverse. Pierced twice above the forehead. Some small holes on reverse from attachment.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Currently the subject of a major exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris (Kanak, l'Art est une parole, October 15, 2013 - January 26, 2014), the sculptural arts of the Kanak people of New Caledonia figured prominently in some of the earliest displays of Oceanic art in Europe, including the exhibits at the Musée d'Ethnographie du Trocadéro in Paris beginning in the 1880s.  In the early years of the 20th century these displays served as a key inspiration to modernists such as Vlaminck, Derain, Braque and Picasso, who found liberation in the expressive, imaginitive forms.  Pablo Picasso famously owned a pair of Kanak figures which appear behind him in a 1908 photograph of his studio, and according to Rubin (1984: 298) are referenced in his early cubist paintings.  A mask of similar design to the present mask was previously in the collection of Maurice de Vlaminck and is today in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Chartres (see Kasarherou 1993: 65).

According to Kjellgren (2007: 191), "Kanak masking traditions largely ceased by the late ninteenth century, primarily owing to the influence of Christian missionaries, and little firsthand information survives regarding their imagery and significance."