Complete Tapa or Masi Kesa

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Complete Tapa or Masi Kesa

Galerie Meyer-Oceanic Art

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Date 19th century

Period 1850-1900, 19th century

Origin Fiji Islands, Polynesia

Medium Paper-mulberry tree, Red and black pigments

Dimension 328 cm (129¹/₈ inches)

A complete section of masi kesa, possibly from a malo, a girdle or loin cloth (masi kesa means painted tapa in Fijian). The geometric decor of alternating black and white sections is quite dramatic and overall the decoration is painted with great finesse. The outer border is painted red and the long sides are fringed and painted with black stripes. Inner bark or bast of the Paper-mulberry tree (broussonetia papyrifera) with red and black pigments (old kraft paper repaires to rear).

Date: 19th century

Period: 1850-1900, 19th century

Origin: Fiji Islands, Polynesia

Medium: Paper-mulberry tree, Red and black pigments

Dimension: 328 cm (129¹/₈ inches)

Provenance: Collected in the Lau Group of islands in Fiji on the La Koriganne expedition 1934 – 1936. Ex coll. : Charles van den Boek d’Obrennan, Paris.

Exhibition: TAPA, Parcours des Mondes 2017, Galerie Meyer N° 12

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