IATMUL SEATED WOMAN, ANGRIMAN (ANGERMAN, TODAY TAMBUNUM) VILLAGE, MIDDLE SEPIK RIVER, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Madeleine Rousseau, Paris
Marcia and John Friede, New York, acquired in the 1960s

Madeleine Rousseau, Guillaume Apollinaire and Tristan Tzara, L'art Océanien: sa présence (Collection Le Musée Vivant), Paris, 1951, fig. 8
John A. Friede et al. (ed.), New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, San Francisco, 2005, pp. 208 (vol. 1) and 111 (vol. 2), cat. 177

Good condition for an object of this type and age. Crack through proper right foot extending through top of right leg and extending through ankle and into underside of calf (probably an inherent inconsistency in the wood). Hairline crack to outside of right thigh. Some small worm holes. Nicks, dents, and scratches consistent with age and ritual handling. Fine crusty layered blackened patina with remnants of red and white pigments.
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.

Friede (2005, vol. 2: 111, text to cat. 177) notes:  "This figure was identified by Rousseau as Kaningara, but it is Iatmul in origin.  It shows a stylistic relationship, particularly in terms of its posture, with two figures forming part of a pair of headrests from the eastern Iatmul.  For the first, see Newton (1967, fig. 69).  The other is in a private New York collection."