Specifications

• Height: 7,5 cm
• Material:wood 
• Position: squaatting
• Gender: 
• Indigenous name: korwar

Provenance

Probably Utrecht Missionary Society; Henry Blekkink (1888-1953), The Hague, 1930s; Galerie Pascassio Manfredi, Paris, private collection.

Publications

Weener, Frans-Karel (2012), ‘The Korwar Collection of Henry Blekkink’, in Tribal Art 63, p. 90

Additional information

Biak island. Small ancestor figures like this one with a rectangular or square body on a circular base were probably commissioned for people of humble descent. The body shows a different patina than the head and base which is likely the result of wrapping it with (red) cloth. Biak island.

Photo credits

Frank Verdier