Spatule à chaux , Massim, Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée

Collection Harry Beran, n° inv. HB472
Collection Marcia et John Friede, New York

Reproduite dans:
Meyer, Art Océanien, 1995 : 140, n°130

To the end of the spatula, as a result of age and use within the culture, a fine crack on the proper left; a few chips and losses to the edges. At the back, few traces of red pigments in the grooves.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Les sculpteurs Massim sont à l'origine des plus élégantes et des plus belles spatules à chaux utilisées dans la préparation du bétel (noix d'arec). De talentueux sculpteurs sur bois développèrent des variations personnelles de l'art Massim, et de nombreux styles individuels, nés d'artistes anonymes ou d'ateliers d'artistes ont été identifiés, notamment par Harry Beran (1996). A côté des thèmes que certains privilégièrent – figures humaines ou zoomorphes – s'imposent, comme ici, des représentations plus complexes à travers lesquelles s'exprime un univers souvent lié aux rituels magiques.

Selon Meyer (1995 : 140), cette spatule dont les traits évoquent ceux d'un être mi-homme, mi-oiseau, pourrait être « la représentation d'un masque d'oiseau porté par un danseur costumé ». La finesse de la sculpture et des modelés est superbement mise en valeur par la patine lisse du bois d'ébène, et par les rehauts de chaux soulignant la complexité du jeu de courbes et de contre-courbes.

Une spatule très apparentée, également dans la collection Jolika de Marcia et John Friede (Friede, 2005 : n° 414) et provenant de la province de Milne Bay (Sud Massim), fut présentée par William Rubin au MoMA en 1984, dans l'exposition Primitivism in 20th Century Art, au regard d'œuvres de Max Ernst.

Lime spatula, Massim, Papua New Guinea

Massim carvers created the most elegant and beautiful lime spatulas used for the consumption of betel (areca nut). These talented wood-carvers developed their own personal variations of themes of Massim art, and a number of the individual styles of anonymous artists and artists' studios have been identified, notably by Harry Beran (1996). Alongside the themes favoured by some sculptors – principally human or zoomophic figures – more complex motifs are often used, as in the case of the offered lot, in order to express a world frequently associated with magical rituals.

 

According to Meyer (1995: 140), this spatula, the features of which evoke a being that is half-man and half-bird, could be 'the representation of a bird mask worn by a costumed dancer'. The smooth dark patina enhances the great quality of the sculptural form, and the traces of lime highlight the complex interplay between curves and counter curves.

A closely related spatula from the Milne Bay Province (Southern Massim), in the Jolika collection of Marcia and John Friede (Friede, 2005: 414), was selected by William Rubin and shown alongside works by Max Ernst during the seminal 1984 exhibition Primitivism in 20th Century Art at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.