- 12
CIMIER DE DANSE, HAUTES TERRES, PAPOUASIE-NOUVELLE-GUINÉE |
Estimate
70,000 - 100,000 EUR
bidding is closed
Description
- haut. 138 cm ; 54 3/8 in
Provenance
Collection Jean-Louis Rosieux, Paris
Sotheby’s, New York, 22 novembre 1998, n° 148
Collection privée européenne, acquis lors de cette vente
Sotheby’s, New York, 22 novembre 1998, n° 148
Collection privée européenne, acquis lors de cette vente
Condition
Very good condition overall. Some thin cracks visible on the catalogue illustration. Proper right part of the top is broken and restored. Pigments are exceptional well preserved. Wear consistent with age and use within the culture.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
La statuaire des Hautes Terres de Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée est très rare; les masques et les sculptures sont quasi inexistants. L'art de cette région de Nouvelle-Guinée est essentiellement un art de la parure : peintures faciales, coiffures cérémonielles et autres ornements corporels y occupent une place prépondérante. Au sein de cet ensemble le corpus des cimiers wenena genua est l'un des plus remarquable, tant par sa réinventation de la figure humaine que par la beauté de sa polychromie. Ici, la stylisation de la sculpture est poussée à l'extrême, les formes géométriques qui la composent représentent des éléments cosmiques, symboles de fertilité : la tête, appelée for numuna ("maison du soleil") figure le soleil, le corps afaniki ("main de la lune"), la lune, et les bras et les jambes en U inversé, oma, (route) les différents chemins qui les relient entre eux.
Ce type de statue anthropomorphe, représentant un esprit-ancêtre, était utilisé comme cimier de danse : le porteur tenait les "jambes" au sommet de sa tête pendant des danses cérémonielles. Celles-ci, se déroulant selon un cycle triennal, incluaient aussi bien des rites d'initiation que des cérémonies liées à la fertilité des porcs. Chez les Siane, un des groupes vivant dans les Highlands, il existait plusieurs types de cimiers gerua, les plus grands, comme ici, appartenaient aux hommes importants, qui possédaient le plus de cochons.
Ces cimiers sont particulièrement rares dans les collections et les quelques exemplaires connus sont principalement conservés dans des instituations muséales, notamment au Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. n° 1978.412.741). Un second, provenant d'une collection privée, fut présenté lors de la célèbre exposition Primitivism in 20th Century Art au MoMA, à New York, en 1984 (cf. Rubin, Primitivism in 20th Century Art, 1984, p. 44).
Figures from the Highlands are very rare; masks and sculptures are almost non existent. The art of this region of New Guinea is essentially based on corporal decoration, with facial paint, ceremonial hairstyles and other body ornaments playing a prominent role.
Within this ensemble the corpus of the crests wenena genua is one of the most remarkable, as much by its reinvention of the human figure as by the beauty of its polychromy. The stylisation of this sculpture is pushed to the extreme, and according to Meyer (idem: 303) the geometric forms represent cosmic elements and fertility symbols: the head known as for numuna ("house of the sun") represents the sun, the body symbolises the afaniki moon ("hand of the moon") and the inverted U formed by the arms and legs, the oma (road) or different paths linking them together.
This type of anthropomorphic figure, portraying a spirit-ancestor, was used as a dance board: the wearer held the “legs” at the top of his head during ceremonial dances. These could take place according to a triennial cycle, and also included both initiation rites and ceremonies linked to the fertility of pigs. Among the Siane, one of the groups living in the Highlands, there are several types of gerua figures, the largest, as in the offered lot, belonged to important men who owned the greatest number of pigs.
The wenena gerua dance boards are very rare and mostly preserved in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (No. 1978.412.741). Another dance board, from a Private Collection, was displayed in the landmark exhibition, Primitivism in 20th Century Art held at MoMA in New York in 1984 (Rubin, Primitivism in 20th Century Art, 1984, p. 44).
Ce type de statue anthropomorphe, représentant un esprit-ancêtre, était utilisé comme cimier de danse : le porteur tenait les "jambes" au sommet de sa tête pendant des danses cérémonielles. Celles-ci, se déroulant selon un cycle triennal, incluaient aussi bien des rites d'initiation que des cérémonies liées à la fertilité des porcs. Chez les Siane, un des groupes vivant dans les Highlands, il existait plusieurs types de cimiers gerua, les plus grands, comme ici, appartenaient aux hommes importants, qui possédaient le plus de cochons.
Ces cimiers sont particulièrement rares dans les collections et les quelques exemplaires connus sont principalement conservés dans des instituations muséales, notamment au Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. n° 1978.412.741). Un second, provenant d'une collection privée, fut présenté lors de la célèbre exposition Primitivism in 20th Century Art au MoMA, à New York, en 1984 (cf. Rubin, Primitivism in 20th Century Art, 1984, p. 44).
Figures from the Highlands are very rare; masks and sculptures are almost non existent. The art of this region of New Guinea is essentially based on corporal decoration, with facial paint, ceremonial hairstyles and other body ornaments playing a prominent role.
Within this ensemble the corpus of the crests wenena genua is one of the most remarkable, as much by its reinvention of the human figure as by the beauty of its polychromy. The stylisation of this sculpture is pushed to the extreme, and according to Meyer (idem: 303) the geometric forms represent cosmic elements and fertility symbols: the head known as for numuna ("house of the sun") represents the sun, the body symbolises the afaniki moon ("hand of the moon") and the inverted U formed by the arms and legs, the oma (road) or different paths linking them together.
This type of anthropomorphic figure, portraying a spirit-ancestor, was used as a dance board: the wearer held the “legs” at the top of his head during ceremonial dances. These could take place according to a triennial cycle, and also included both initiation rites and ceremonies linked to the fertility of pigs. Among the Siane, one of the groups living in the Highlands, there are several types of gerua figures, the largest, as in the offered lot, belonged to important men who owned the greatest number of pigs.
The wenena gerua dance boards are very rare and mostly preserved in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (No. 1978.412.741). Another dance board, from a Private Collection, was displayed in the landmark exhibition, Primitivism in 20th Century Art held at MoMA in New York in 1984 (Rubin, Primitivism in 20th Century Art, 1984, p. 44).