Rare statue, Kanak, Nouvelle-Calédonie

Rapportée en 1865 par Alfred Bouteron (1843-1888)
Christie's, Paris, 14 juin 2004, n° 54
Collection privée

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Les anciennes statues figuratives Kanak représentant un personnage dressé à l'extrémité d'un pieu, sont très rares. Comme ici, l'essentiel de celles référencées dans les collections muséales ont été collectées très tôt, entre les années 1860 et 1880. Elles se divisent en deux types : celles représentant un porteur de masque vêtu d'un manteau de plumes (cf. Sotheby's, 11 juin 2008, n° 70, provenant de la collection du Gouverneur Guyon), et celles figurant un personnage masculin debout, comme ici.

Illustrant la quintessence de l'art Kanak, la monumentalité de la sculpture s'impose par la puissance des masses musculaires et par la tension des courbes - accentuée par le détail des articulations - illustrées en particulier de profil par le volume remarquable des mollets. Elle se traduit également dans les traits du visage - caractéristiques de l'art Kanak - : larges yeux en amande, nez busqué aux ailes dilatées, bouche aux commissures relevées. La beauté des formes est mise en valeur par les nuances de la patine brune et de la teinte jaune du bois dur de houp, sculpté à la pierre.  

Les statues les plus comparables à celle-ci figurent sur un cliché daté de 1895 (in Rubin, 1984, I: 286), illustrant la section océanienne du musée du Trocadéro, et montrant, présentées côte à côte, trois statues portant sur leur socle la mention "poteau de case". L'une d'entre elles, très apparentée, offerte au musée en 1886 par M. Bichot, est aujourd'hui exposée au Centre Culturel Tjibaou.

Deux autres statues de case - n'offrant cependant pas la même ancienneté - sont conservées au musée Picasso. Figurant en arrière plan d'une photographie de l'artiste prise dans son atelier du Bateau-Lavoir en 1908, elles comptent parmi les premiers objets d'art primitif acquis par Picasso - et parmi les seuls d'art océanien. C'est sans aucun doute lors de ses visites au musée du Trocadéro qu'il aura été frappé par la plastique de ces sculptures.

Kanak figure, New Caledonia

The ancient Kanak figurative statues representing a subject standing at the top of a post are very rare. As with this piece, most of those referenced in museum collections were collected very early, between 1860 and 1880. They are separated into two types: those representing a mask carrier clothed with a cloak of feathers (cf. Sotheby's, June 11, 2008, n° 70, which comes from the collection of Governor Guyon), and those depicting a standing male figure, as is the case here.

Illustrating the apogee of Kanak art, the monumentality of the sculpture is striking due to the muscular masses depicted (most particularly remarkable in profile are the voluminous calves) and the tension of the curves, accentuated by the detailed articulations. It is also underlined by the facial features which are characteristic of Kanak art: large, almond-shaped eyes, arched nose with dilated nostrils, mouth with upturned corners. The beauty of the shapes is enhanced by the nuanced brown patina and the yellow cast of the hard wood of the houp tree. Carved with a stone.

A photograph dating from 1895 (in Rubin, 1984, I: 286), illustrating the Oceanic section of the Trocadéro Museum, shows three statues comparable to this one presented side by side and bearing on their bases the mention "house post". One of them, clearly visible, offered to the museum in 1885 by M. Bichot is exhibited today at the Tjibaou Cultural Center.

Two other "house post" statues—however not as old—are kept in the Picasso Museum. Appearing in the background of a photograph of the artist in his workshop in 1908, they are among the first objects of primitive art acquired by Picasso—and among the only ones from Oceania. He was undoubtedly struck by the style of these sculptures during his visits to the Trocadéro Museum.