Figure
Artists of the Kopar and Angoram people, who live near the mouth of the Sepik River in northern New Guinea, created distinctive openwork figures which probably portray powerful spirits with long beak-like noses and lithe attenuated bodies. Some sources say that the figures were dance accessories, carried or worn by performers at initiations and other ceremonies. Tied to short lengths of bamboo, which survive on some examples, they were held in the hand as dance wands or, according to one account, affixed to a framework worn on the dancer’s back. The figure on view here once belonged to the Surrealist painter and writer Wolfgang Paalen (1905–1959), who perhaps was drawn to it by its distinctive treatment of the human form. The originality and plasticity with which artists from New Guinea and other parts of the Pacific portrayed the human image was greatly admired by the Surrealists, whose works often incorporate imagery closely inspired by Oceanic art.
Artwork Details
- Title: Figure
- Date: late 19th–early 20th century
- Geography: Papua New Guinea, Lower Sepik River
- Culture: Kopar or Angoram people
- Medium: Wood, paint
- Dimensions: H. 30 1/2 × W. 3 1/4 × D. 3 1/8 in. (77.5 × 8.3 × 7.9 cm)
- Classification: Wood-Sculpture
- Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1969
- Object Number: 1978.412.722
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Abelam people
19th–early 20th century
Sawos people
19th century or earlier
Sawos people
19th century
Yessan-Mayo people
19th–early 20th century
Abelam people
19th–early 20th century
Related Content
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 complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.