Description:

Central America, Panama, San Blas Islands, Kuna/Cuna, ca. 19th century to early 20th century CE. A hand-carved wooden figure of a standing man whose face has avian characteristics. He wears a bowler-style hat, a jacket, shirt, and trousers, and has a long, beak-like nose. There are remains of blue paint on his hat and clothing, and red paint on his face. This type of figure is sometimes known as a nuchu. Comes with custom stand. Size: 6" W x 10.4" H (15.2 cm x 26.4 cm); height on stand: 11" (27.9 cm)

The Kuna people live on a series of thirty islands in the archipelago of San Blas in the Caribbean. This is a region of high humidity, hot temperatures, and intense rains. In their traditional medicinal practice, bad spirits of illness, known as ponis, must be expelled from the body by a traditional medicine man, sometimes called a curendero. He does this using nuchu - good spirits - who are represented in wood carvings. When someone is ill, these figures are placed around their hammock to guard against evil spirits.

Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection; previously private Kit Kapp collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, formed in the early 1970s. Mr. Kapp acquired the world's largest and best documented collection of Panamanian Molas, with numerous examples being published.

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#122443

  • Condition: Figure has aged wood patina demonstrating its age.

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May 18, 2017 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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