Female Figure (Moai Papa)
The dramatically flattened bodies of Rapa Nui female figures (moai papa) contrast with their fully modeled heads. The word papa in the Rapa Nui language literally denotes a flat horizontal surface of volcanic rock, but it may also indirectly refer to Papa, the female personification of the earth in many Polynesian cultures. Although indisputably female, moai papa also display masculine features, including goatee beards and, typically, bald heads. The incorporation of male elements into the figures may indicate that the female deities or ancestors they likely represented were perceived as the equals of their male counterparts.
The cavities in the cheek and right leg of the present work and wood plugs in other areas of its body indicate that it is likely an early example, made before large unblemished blocks of wood, once rare on the largely treeless island, became widely available through trade with Western vessels.
The cavities in the cheek and right leg of the present work and wood plugs in other areas of its body indicate that it is likely an early example, made before large unblemished blocks of wood, once rare on the largely treeless island, became widely available through trade with Western vessels.
Artwork Details
- Title: Female Figure (Moai Papa)
- Date: 19th century
- Geography: Chile, Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
- Culture: Rapa Nui people
- Medium: Wood, glass, paint, resin(?)
- Dimensions: H. 23 1/2 × W. 5 3/4 × D. 3 1/2 in. (59.7 × 14.6 × 8.9 cm)
- Classification: Wood-Sculpture
- Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
- Object Number: 1979.206.1478
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
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Rapa Nui people
early 19th century
Rapa Nui people
19th century
Rapa Nui people
early 19th century
Rapa Nui people
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Rapa Nui people
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