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An upper Sepik yam sculpture, carved wood representing two…
Lot No.
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Description:
An upper Sepik yam sculpture, carved wood representing two mirroring faces, with bulging eyes, domed forehead, long straight nose and heart-shaped mouth in high relief, joined together by a handle and painted in traditional hues of red, black and white. The reverse reveals another face in its center. In several areas of the upper Sepik River, peoples share an artistic tradition centered on an annual sequence of ceremonies devoted to the cultivation of yams, one of the essential foods of their diet. A man's social status is largely determined by his success in growing and harvesting long and large yams. Each figure was sculpted to celebrate and honour a spirit, in the hope that it would help with the growth of the tuber. Provenance: from the collection of Keith St Cartmail, height 102 cm, width 16 cm
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified