Grave Marker
Arts of the Pacific Islands
To indicate that the deceased was male, this grave marker consists of an upright post on top of a boat-shaped base. Grave markers for females have scalloped flat panels placed within the base. It is likely that the boat motif refers to the belief prevalent throughout Southeast Asia and parts of Melanesia that the deceased requires a boat to travel from this world to the next.
MEDIUM
Wood, pigment, lime
DATES
20th century
DIMENSIONS
35 1/2 x 48 x 8 1/2 in. (90.2 x 121.9 x 21.6 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
86.230.3a-b
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Dr. Martin and Suzanne Schulman
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
The male grave marker consists of an upright phallic-shaped post perpendicular to a boat-shaped base. The base has areas of decorative carving some of which are filled with lime.
From catalogue card:
Male gravemarker. Wood, pigment, lime (?). Composed of parts; base and upright. Monaxial base shaped like a ship; long rectangular body decorated along sides with white lime-inlaid interlocking volutes; elaborately curvilinear openwork planar spine bifurcates and extends body. Upright tangs fit into top of base; reduced shapes suggesting body, neck, and head; very little surface articulation. Traces of blue pigment.
Condition: Weathered; one end of ship's openwork broken off; long, deep cracks top of base; dried dirt packed into crevices; small crack and chip on other end of openwork; pitting on neck and top of upright's head.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Grave Marker, 20th century. Wood, pigment, lime, 35 1/2 x 48 x 8 1/2 in. (90.2 x 121.9 x 21.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Dr. Martin and Suzanne Schulman, 86.230.3a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 86.230.3a-b_SL1.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 86.230.3a-b_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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