Shield - Lot 32

Shield Middle Sepik, Papua New Guinea Wood, fiber and pigments H. 161cm Provenance: André Schoeller collection before 1966, Paris, France Publication: Armes offensives et défensives d'Afrique Noire, d'Océanie et d'Amérique du Nord, A. Schoeller, Musée d'Art et d'Industrie, Saint-Etienne, 1966 This superb ancient shield from the Middle Sepik region takes the form of a vertical succession of 4 asymmetrical faces framed by jagged friezes. The sculpture is taut and dynamic, the composition enhanced by ochre and white pigments. A wooden and rattan handle is present on the back. On the lower part, a local rattan repair attests to the shield's prolonged use, despite a longitudinal crack probably caused by impact during combat. In addition to their protective role in battle, war shields in the Middle Sepik region were emblems of power. They were often adorned, as here, with figures of ancestors. These representations assured the warrior of spiritual protection by transferring the power of the ancestors to the shield. Condition report: a few old scratches and chips, a local repair (rattan) and a crack at the bottom, some pigment loss.