Specifications

• Height: 12,3 cm
• Material: wood, plant fibre, metal, porcelain
• Position: squatting
• Gender: male
• Indigenous name: guri-guri

Provenance

Sammlung Heinze around 1900, Museum der Weltkulturen, Frankfurt am Main

Publications

Agthe, Johanna (1979) Arm durch Reichtum – Sumatra. Eine Insel am Äquator, 77, ill. 33; Achim (2000), Batak. Kunst aus Sumatra, cover and ill. 165

Additional information

According to Sibeth, the bowl or charger on top of the figure´s head could indicate that the portrayed is a datu, priest. The two snakes on the figure´s back also point it that direction. This is the work of a Karo Batak artist. Agthe ascribed it to the Toba.

Photo credits

Stefan Beckers, Frankfurt am Main