This impressive piece is an ancestor figure from the Sepik River area of Papua New Guinea. It is an unusually graceful interpretation of the theme, with elongated limbs, a long, triangular trunk decorated with geometric designs on the chest, and a tall, domed head with sensitively modelled features and an amused smile. The wood is light in colour, with patination and wear from considerable age and perhaps the application of libations.
The Sepik River area is arguably the most important artistic region in the Antipodes. The inhabitants live in small villages along the river, which is so fertile that they the populace rarely moves, thus leading to a proliferation of styles in their ritual arts. They use masks for ceremonial purposes and festivals, while figures usually represent ancestors. They were used for manhood initiation procedures, and were otherwise stored in centralised magical huts.
This is a stylish and impressive piece of Oceanic art.