Rare bol cérémoniel, Région de Lumi, Monts Torricelli, Province Sepik de l'ouest, Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée

Collecté par Michael Hamson
Collection Marcia et John Friede, New York

Good condition overall ; one open crack running down from the rim, visible in the second catalogue illustration.
"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."

Dans un mouvement à l'équilibre parfait, la bordure foliacée du bol se prolonge selon un axe longitudinal en deux extrémités en virgule pouvant évoquer, dans leurs lignes épurées et la tension des courbes, la tête hautement stylisée de deux oiseaux. Très belle opposition entre la pureté des formes et l'épaisse patine sombre, croûteuse.

Si les arts des populations vivant dans les Monts Torricelli sont rares et très peu documentés, ce bol évoque, par sa très grande élégance, la beauté abstraite - formes et motifs - des boucliers d'archers de la région, également recouverts d'une épaisse patine de noire de suie. Selon Kaufmann (cité par Coupaye in Peltier, 2006 : 444), les motifs gravés sur ces boucliers d'archers reprendraient le motif "en épine" - comme ici - peint à l'intérieur de la toiture d'une maison cérémonielle décrite par Briggs en 1928.

Rare ceremonial bowl, Lumi Region, Torricelli Mountains, West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

In a perfectly balanced movement, the leaf-like edge of the bowl extends along a longitudinal axis which ends in two thorn-like shapes, the clean lines and strong curves of which might indicate the highly stylized heads of two birds. The object presents a beautiful contrast between the absolute purity of form and the thick, dark, sooty patina.

Although the art of the people of the Torricelli Mountains is rare and poorly documented, the elegant shape of this bowl evokes the abstract beauty of the forms and motifs of archers' shields from the region. Like the offered lot, these shields were covered in a thick sooty patina and according to Kaufmann (cited by Coupaye in Peltier, 2006: 444) they used the same 'thorn' motif, a design which was painted on the interior of the roof of a ceremonial house and was first described in 1928 by the zoologist E. A. Briggs, who led one of the first expeditions to the region.