Food bowl - Lot 11

Food bowl Huon Gulf, Papua New Guinea Wood, lime and pigments L. 72 cm As indicated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (see related work, inventory 1979.206.1767), the artists of the Tami Islands, a group of small islets at the eastern end of the Huon Peninsula, were the most prolific sculptors in northeastern New Guinea. Tami artists produced various types of carvings (particularly the large bowls with figurative motifs shown here) for local use and for trade with neighboring groups. These ornate bowls served as dowries and were exchanged at wedding ceremonies throughout the region. They were also used to prepare and distribute food during festivals and rituals. The faces at either end of the carving probably represent a spirit, while the spiked motifs surrounding the faces evoke the ceremonial headdresses worn by high-ranking men. Condition report: Some surface scratches, slight crack visible at one end. Condition and patina consistent with use and age.