Lot 244
**Originally Listed At $900**
Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Wosera-Gawi region, ca. early 20th century CE. A maira, a totemic ancestral figure, hand-carved from wood by the Abelam people. These items are kept for ceremonial power and worship and are sometimes placed into a circle together to create a sacred space. This particular example is in the form of a standing male with an enormous zoomorphic, avian-form crested headdress. The male has a mask-like face, with dramatic, triangular eyes, bright yellow triangles painted on his cheeks, and a small, rounded mouth. The forehead is divided into triangles of red and black. Below the face, the man has a diamond-shaped torso framed by his arms, which he rests just below his narrow waist. His obvious phallus hangs between his bent legs, which meet in a zoomorphic form where his feet should be. Size: 5.9" W x 40" H (15 cm x 101.6 cm); 42.1" H (106.9 cm) on included custom stand.
The crest above his head is dominated by two huge yellow and black eyes painted on diamond-shaped panels; they resemble those of an owl. Above those panels are two heads of heron-like birds with very long beaks that meet in the middle between the two large eyes. A fascinating figure!
Provenance: ex private Tucson, Arizona, USA collection
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#129979
- Condition: Surface wear and losses to pigment commensurate with age, including some small surface cracks.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |