Lot 7C
Oceania, Melanesia, West Papua New Guinea, Humboldt Bay, Sissano Lagoon, ca. early 20th century CE. A vividly painted wooden paddle from the Sissano Lagoon region of Humboldt Bay, its elongated blade and slender shaft embodying the dual artistry and practicality of Papua New Guinea's northern coastal traditions. The paddle's surface is enlivened with a complex arrangement of curvilinear and geometric motifs in bold red, white, and black pigment, the swirling forms evoking both the rhythms of the sea and the vitality of ancestral design systems. At the top of the blade, heart-shaped and arrow-like forms frame a central vertical axis, while the lower section transitions into anthropomorphic and zoomorphic shapes, their meanings likely steeped in clan heritage and local myth. Size: 1.3" L x 7.5" W x 59.5" H (3.3 cm x 19 cm x 151.1 cm)
The Sissano Lagoon has long been a fertile source of seafood for the coastal villages of northern Papua New Guinea, where fishing and canoe travel were not only means of sustenance but also essential threads in the fabric of community life. Paddles such as this one were both functional and ceremonial, serving to propel canoes across the calm lagoon waters while also proclaiming the identity, status, and artistry of their owners. The careful hand-carving and precise pigment application reflect the maker's intimate connection to both craft and environment, resulting in a piece that is as much an emblem of cultural identity as it is a utilitarian tool.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, purchased in August 1998; ex-Taylor Dale Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, collected in Darwin, Australia from an English couple who had acquired it in the 1960's
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#195956
- Condition: Surface wear with some nicks and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and very nice with good remaining red and black pigments; trace remains of white pigment.
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