Description:

Karawari River, Middle Sepik, Papua New Guinea. Early fragmentary carving, preserving the upper head and torso of an aripa, a manifestation of a male spirit. The elongated head is defined by a prominent circular relief eye, while the torso is articulated with openwork elements enclosing the neck with triangular element, above the ovoid core, flanked above and below by spiked and grooved lunate forms. Both head and body project from a flat spine, with a long hollowed loss along the upper section. The surface bears a dry gray-brown, desiccated patina with mineral deposits, likely accumulated during long-term storage in rock shelters where such figures were traditionally kept. Custom base. Among the Ewa, each man owned such a figure. Kept in the men's ceremonial house, the figure depicted his individual helping spirit who aided him in the hunt. - Metropolitan Museum of Art, web. Size: 26-1/4"H.

Provenance: Private CA. collection, ex. Robert Bleakley, Australia.

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#70398

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February 26, 2026 7:00 AM MST
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Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $749 $25
$750 $1,499 $50
$1,500 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $7,499 $250
$7,500 $14,999 $500
$15,000 + $1,000