KANAK ROOF SPIRE, NEW CALEDONIA, FRENCH POLYNESIA

Presumably Charles Ratton or Pierre Loeb, Paris
Pierre Matisse, New York, by 1948

Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York, Wilfredo Lam. Oils on Canvas and Drawings, Gouaches, Watercolors, April 20 - May 8, 1948
The Pierpoint Morgan Library, New York, Pierre Matisse and his Artists, February 14 - May 19, 2002

William M. Griswold (ed.), Pierre Matisse and his Artists, New York, 2002, p. 51, cat. 13 and p. 216

Very good condition overall for an object of this age and type. Weathered surface with age cracks, insect damage and areas of abrasion throughout. Several iron nails inserted in chest. Fine aged patina with traces of red pigment; pigment abraded at bottom edge of semispherical element above head, as well as on stem, and toned in to compensate.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

According to Kjellgren (2007: 192), "architectural carvings were one of the primary forms of artistic expression for the Kanak people of New Caledonia.  In the past, and to some extent today, the house of the chief was both the physical and the metaphorical center of every Kanak village.  Symbols of secular and sacred power, chiefs' houses were circular, with towering conical roofs, crowned with carved finials, that were visible from afar."

The antropomorphic roof spires were representations of the ancestral spirit. Sometimes, following the death of the chief, they were placed on top of his tomb. See Boulay in Newton (1998: 300) for further discussion. While most Kanak roof spires are flat sculptures of a single figure conceived for only frontal view, three-dimensional spires are exceedingly rare. Cf. Sotheby's Paris, June 17, 2009, lot 125 for one example. However, the iconography of a janus-headed three-dimensional bust is not known from other documented figures, making the Matisse spire an important exception from the canon.

The style of the Matisse figure is archaic and suggests, in conjunction with the weathered surface, great age.  For stylistically related examples cf. Musée du Quai Branly (inv. nos. "71.1931.50.7", "71.1931.50.6.1", "72.60.918" and "72.1996.2.1") and Bounoure (1992: 199).