Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Dilukai (gable figure)

late 19th–early 20th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 351
The Belau archipelago comprises one large and numerous smaller islands north of New Guinea. In Belauan society, men are grouped according to age and status. Until the mid-twentieth century, each group had a separate men's house in which they spent most of their time. Men's houses were impressive structures with high pitched roofs and large triangular gables, decorated with carvings and paintings.
The interior beams and gable planks were adorned with incised and painted images depicting scenes from local legends. Female figures such as this one were often placed above the entrance to the men's house. The figures depict a legendary woman named Dilukai whose excessive promiscuity caused her angry father to tie her in an exposed position to warn village women to be more chaste. Ironically, men's houses were frequently home to prostitutes sent from other villages to earn wealth for their families.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Dilukai (gable figure)
  • Artist: Belauan artist
  • Date: late 19th–early 20th century
  • Geography: Republic of Palau, Caroline Islands
  • Culture: Belauan peoples
  • Medium: Wood, paint
  • Dimensions: H. 26 in. × W. 38 in. × D. 10 1/4 in. (66 × 96.5 × 26 cm)
  • Classification: Wood-Sculpture
  • Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, and Purchase, Nelson A. Rockefeller Gift, 1970
  • Object Number: 1978.412.1558a-d
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

Audio

Cover Image for 1703. Gable Figure (Dilukai), Part 1

1703. Gable Figure (Dilukai), Part 1

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

    Listen to more about this artwork

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Toluk (women’s valuable), Belauan artist, Turtle shell, Belauan people
Toluk (women’s valuable)
Belauan artist
late 19th–early 20th century
Marble portrait bust of the emperor Gaius, known as Caligula, Marble, Roman
Marble portrait bust of the emperor Gaius, known as Caligula
Roman
37–41 CE
Palepai maju (ceremonial banner), Paminggir artists, Glass and ceramic beads, fiber, cloth, nassa shells, Lampung peoples
Palepai maju (ceremonial banner)
Paminggir artists
18th–19th century
Figure, One of a Pair, Wood, paint, Belau (Palau)
Figure, One of a Pair
Belau (Palau)
Early 20th century
Seated Buddha, Bronze, Thailand
Seated Buddha
Thailand
15th century

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries and chronologies from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.