Cassandra D'Cruz
Specialist, Head of Sale
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Lot 13W
Boar Effigy Mask, Northern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
Amended
13 November 2018, 11:00 EST
New YorkSold for US$68,750 inc. premium
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Boar Effigy Mask, Northern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
malagan
length 37 1/2in (95.3cm)
Provenance
Alain Schoffel, Paris
Daniel Cordier, Bordeaux
Lance Entwistle, London and Paris
American Private Collection, acquired in 1993
According to Susan Küchler (Gunn, Michael, New Ireland: Art of the South Pacific, Museé du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, Paris and 5 Continents, Milan, 2006, p. 46), 'Malagan is the generic name for the spectacular secondary funerary ritual which orchestrates huge community resources and draws hundreds of participants to the final three days of feasting. The final event in a commemorative cycle takes place sometimes more than a decade after a burial and may stretch over several weeks that are punctuated by the stages of carving which culminate in the painting of the figure and the insertions of "eyes." Alternative materials and techniques, allowing for rapid production, may be used should a death have occurred shortly prior to or during the preparation of secondary burial in the village. When installed in a structure on the burial ground, the effigy is said, in the Kara region, to be alive. The height of the malagan ceremony is the dramatic revelation of this effigy, followed moments later by the activation of its death so that the person's soul may achieve immortality, the "empty remains" of effigies being taken to the forest to be left to decompose, while certain other ones are burned, and yet others taken to the mission to be sold to collectors.'
Of monumental scale, the anthropomorphic head presented here is deeply hollowed with a long snout and open mouth revealing large upper and bottom tusks curving upward and downward, the eyes pierced through with Turbo petholatus opercula, the top of the head accented with projecting feathery rods, decorated overall with red, black and white pigments.
length 37 1/2in (95.3cm)
Provenance
Alain Schoffel, Paris
Daniel Cordier, Bordeaux
Lance Entwistle, London and Paris
American Private Collection, acquired in 1993
According to Susan Küchler (Gunn, Michael, New Ireland: Art of the South Pacific, Museé du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, Paris and 5 Continents, Milan, 2006, p. 46), 'Malagan is the generic name for the spectacular secondary funerary ritual which orchestrates huge community resources and draws hundreds of participants to the final three days of feasting. The final event in a commemorative cycle takes place sometimes more than a decade after a burial and may stretch over several weeks that are punctuated by the stages of carving which culminate in the painting of the figure and the insertions of "eyes." Alternative materials and techniques, allowing for rapid production, may be used should a death have occurred shortly prior to or during the preparation of secondary burial in the village. When installed in a structure on the burial ground, the effigy is said, in the Kara region, to be alive. The height of the malagan ceremony is the dramatic revelation of this effigy, followed moments later by the activation of its death so that the person's soul may achieve immortality, the "empty remains" of effigies being taken to the forest to be left to decompose, while certain other ones are burned, and yet others taken to the mission to be sold to collectors.'
Of monumental scale, the anthropomorphic head presented here is deeply hollowed with a long snout and open mouth revealing large upper and bottom tusks curving upward and downward, the eyes pierced through with Turbo petholatus opercula, the top of the head accented with projecting feathery rods, decorated overall with red, black and white pigments.
Saleroom notices
Please Note, Lot 13 has been noted as a W Lot and will be removed to the warehouse of Door to Door services on Thursday November 15th after the sale.
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