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House-post Figure

19th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 354
The Kambot people live along the banks of the Keram River, a tributary of the lower Sepik River in New Guinea. This figure was not originally an independent sculpture but probably formed part of a housepost supporting the roof of a ceremonial house. The image represents either Mobul or Goyen, two mythical brothers who are associated with the creation of plants and animals. The brothers' spirits were believed to reside within the houseposts at certain times. This figure is probably the largest surviving example of Kambot wood sculpture. The head is a double image in which the eyes and nose of the central face also form the arms and flute of a second, smaller figure.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: House-post Figure
  • Date: 19th century
  • Geography: Papua New Guinea, Lower Sepik, Keram River
  • Culture: Kambot people
  • Medium: Wood, paint, fiber
  • Dimensions: H. 96 × W. 23 × D. 18 in. (243.8 × 58.4 × 45.7 cm)
  • Classification: Wood-Architectural
  • Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1969
  • Object Number: 1978.412.823
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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