Lot 37
  • 37

Canoe Splash Board, Massim, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea

Estimate
2,000 - 3,000 USD
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Description

  • wood
  • Height: 22 in (55.9 cm)

Provenance

Lynda Cunningham, New York, acquired in situ before 1972

Exhibited

The Graduate School and University Center, the City University of New York, Ancestors and Dream Time People: Art of New Guinea, the New Hebrides, and Australia, February 14 - March 3, 1972
Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, Arts of the South Pacific, March 10 - April 28, 1974

Literature

Lynda Ridgway, Ancestors and Dream Time People: Art of New Guinea, the New Hebrides, and Australia, New York, 1972, pl. 1 (New Guinea portfolio)
Krista Venczel, Arts of the South Pacific, Yonkers, 1974, back cover

Condition

Very good condition overall. Minor nicks, chips, scratches, and abrasions scattered throughout. A few scattered cracks. Some losses to the open work including at the top proper right corner and the bottom proper left edge of the open work, as visible in the catalogue illustration. A few broken and glued elements to the open work at the top of the piece. Very good patina with traces of lime in places.
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.

Catalogue Note

In spite of the prevalence of sorcery in Massim communities, the people of the region were largely secular, and the art that they created thus appeared mainly through the media of their utilitarian objects. Articles such as mortars and currency allowed artistic expression in daily activities and transactions based on land, while canoe splitters and splash boards brought a language of visual aesthetics to the sea. These articles were covered in low relief carving that often depicted abstracted aquatic designs and were painted in red, black, and white. The particular asymmetry of the present splash board is indeed formulaic, for that feature allowed those steering the ship to visualize the horizon line and maneuver accordingly.