Specifications

• Height: 37 cm
• Matrial: wood, glass beads
• Position: standing
• Gender: male
• Indigenous name: korwar
• Price realised: Dfl. 7.500,-

Provenance

Leendert van Lier, Blaricum, Christie’s, Amsterdam 15-4-1997, lot 195, Private collection, The Netherlands

Publications

Ref.: Maxwell, Robyn (2010), Life, death and magic, p. 231 right.

Additional information

From the earliest records we know that these ancestor figures were the product of a centre near Doreh Bay. They usually stand behind an openworked shield with a curvilinear mirrored pattern incorporating a snake motiv. The depicted ancestor figure is left-handed. The present example has a thin lacker coating whoich is a feature found on many objects collected in the early 20th century and before.

In the reference catalogue one item is illustrated with the right arm raised, but the overall concept is similar.

Photo credits

Christie’s, Amsterdam