Artist:Malakula
Medium: Fiber, leaves, wood, raffia, vegetal-fiber paste, pigment
Geograhical Locations:
Dates:early 20th century
Dimensions: 34 1/4 x 21 1/2 x 3 3/4 in. (87 x 54.6 x 9.5 cm)
Collections:
Accession Number: 68.53
Image: 68.53.jpg,
Catalogue Description: Female half figure (waist up) shown with raised, outstretched arms at 90 degrees to one another, and at 135 degrees to the lower torso which is modeled over the supporting wooden armature. Body, arms, and head are bulked out with leaves and vegetable fiber, tied with raffia strings, and covered with a thin layer of paranarium nut paste which is thicker on the head where everything is molded to form facial features. The left hand has four fingers and the right hand two (2 or 3 having been broken off). Head is rigged with modeled paranarium paste. A turban-like ring of raffia strings encircles the top of the head. Background paint is black over painted with earth white and bright orange; arms encircled and torso is broken up into triangular areas. Head is painted with parallel lines, narrower than on other body parts.