Description:

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Sepik River region, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A canoe prow ornament shield, hand-carved from wood and painted with natural ochre pigments, featuring a boldly rendered female ancestral figure at the front. Behind the figure rise three large panels formed from fibrous palm spathe, all lashed to a wood and bamboo framework. Such ornaments were mounted on the prows of war canoes, serving both as protective spirit guardians and as vivid visual emblems of clan identity as vessels traveled the waterways of the Sepik region. This example retains much of its original pigment and displays wonderful age and use, embodying the artistry and spiritual traditions of Papua New Guinea. Size: 51" L x 29" H (129.5 cm x 73.7 cm)

Provenance: private Tucson, Arizona, USA collection, acquired between 1950 and 1985

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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#195679

  • Condition: Fair condition with losses to palm panels, with fraying along the edges. Losses to the bamboo frame along the right panel verso. Deep pressure fissures on the wood figure. Fading and losses to pigments.

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Shipping

Bidder Can Make Shipping Arrangements, Local Pick-Up, In-House Shipping

September 4, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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