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A 'PRAYING MANTIS AND HORNBILL' WOOD CANOE PROW, ASMAT, CASUARINA COAST, 17TH CENTURY
奥地利
04月16日 下午5点 开拍 /14天2小时
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A 'PRAYING MANTIS AND HORNBILL' WOOD CANOE PROW, ASMAT, CASUARINA COAST, 17TH CENTURYPublished: Jac Hoogerbrugge (ed.), Ukiran-ukiran kayu Irian Jaya (The Art of Wood Carving in Irian Jaya), 1977, no. 22.Indonesia, Western New Guinea. Of openwork form, the composite prow carved in a stylized form to depict a human figure seated atop a stool, his feet striding the sides, a praying mantis sitting upright to his feet, balancing a hornbill on its gently rounded head, the bird's large beak tipping the chin of the human, as its clawed feet press against the belly. The flattened conical face of the human detailed with sunken almond-shaped eyes below arched brows, sharp nose with pierced nostrils, and conical headdress covering his head. Carved with recessed niches and geometric markings painted red.Provenance: From the private collection of Jac Hoogerbrugge, Netherlands, acquired in 1956 and thence by descent. The figure inscribed with an inventory number '1913' and another which has been struck out, '58.' A copy of a sketch of the present lot by drawn by Jac Hoogerbrugge, labeled 1913, accompanies the lot. Jac Hoogerbrugge (1923-2014) was an astute collector and connoisseur of tribal art. Serving as a transport agent and, subsequently, as a United Nations official in Indonesia and New Guinea allowed him to probe deeply into the ritual art of the Batak (North Sumatra), Lake Sentani, the Humboldt Bay, the Asmat (New Guinea), and the Dayak (Borneo). Later in life, having returned to the Netherlands, he continued to hunt out items of ethnographic interest in flea markets, at auctions, but also by means of his excellent connections in missionary circles and with former colonials. At the same time he explored colonial and missionary archives in order to contextualize and document the objects he found. Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, minor age cracks, small losses, chips, signs of weathering, and losses to pigments. A fine, naturally grown patina overall.Weight: 2.9 kg Dimensions: Height 74.5 cmThe Asmat, a Papuan people of approximately 60,000 souls live in the densely forested mangrove swamps and adjoining rainforests on the southwest coast of Indonesian Irian Jaya. Their cultural tradition comprised elaborate cosmologies, intricate initiatory cult systems, headhunting practices and, related to all this, one of the most spectacular ritual woodcarving practices worldwide.Among the Asmat of southwestern New Guinea (Indonesian Papua), head-hunting was historically embedded within a complex cosmological and social framework rather than functioning as indiscriminate violence. Warfare and the taking of heads were closely linked to ancestral veneration, initiation rites, and the restoration of spiritual equilibrium between the living and the dead. The human head was understood as a seat of vital force (often conceptualized as ndam), whose acquisition was necessary to ensure fertility, social continuity, and the proper naming of children.Within this symbolic universe, animal imagery frequently served as metaphor and cosmological referent. The praying mantis occupies a particularly striking position. Its raptorial forelegs and poised, anthropomorphic stance visually echo the gestures of capture and decapitation associated with head-hunting. In Asmat visual culture, insects—including mantises—are not merely naturalistic observations but embodiments of predatory power, stealth, and transformative force. The mantis' sudden strike and capacity to grasp prey with precision resonate with ideals of warrior efficacy and controlled aggression.Moreover, Asmat carving traditions—especially in bisj poles and shield designs—often compress human, ancestral, and animal attributes into hybrid forms. In this context, mantis imagery may operate as a metaphorical extension of ancestral potency: a visual shorthand for the swift, decisive act through which social and spiritual balance is restored.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely relatedAuction: Sotheby's Paris, 10 December 2014, lot 51Price: USD 17,500 or approx. EUR 20,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing: Carved element of a secondary pole, Asmat region, Papua New GuineaExpert remark: Compare the closely related openwork motif with human figures and stylized birds. Note the size (123 cm).

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