Sepik Headrest "KAMBDI" La Korrigane
Period 19/20th century
Origin Kamindimbit Village, Middle Sepik, PNG, Melanesia
Medium Wood with bent cane feet and binding. Traces of red, white and black pigments
Dimension 58.5 x 10 x 14 cm (23 x 3⁷/₈ x 5¹/₂ inches)
AMBUTUGUT on the inventory card is a close transcription of the Iatmul word for headrest : nambuteget, nambu being the “head“ and teget the “stool“. The word mi simply means “tree“. It is indicated by a later hand on the inventory card that the Comtesse Monique de Ganay paid one laplap for it (the laplap is a piece of cloth worn like a sarong). Information kindly supplied by Christian Coiffier
Period: 19/20th century
Origin: Kamindimbit Village, Middle Sepik, PNG, Melanesia
Medium: Wood with bent cane feet and binding. Traces of red, white and black pigments
Signature: The Musée de l’Homme deposit inv. N° D.39.3/980 is painted on the underside.
Dimension: 58.5 x 10 x 14 cm (23 x 3⁷/₈ x 5¹/₂ inches)
Provenance: Ex coll. : La Korrigane, Comte & Comtesse de Ganay, Charles et Régine van den Broek et Jean Ratisbonne ; J. Polak, Amsterdam ; John & Marcia Friede, New York.
Collected on the La Korrigane expedition (1934/1936). The field collection card gives the following information : “OREILLER AMBUTUGUT en bois de mi, sculpté de 2 têtes de serpents kambdi avec des traces de peinture, rouge et pieds rapportés. Il a été fait par TEREMMEBI auquel la Ctesse E. de GANAY l’acheta le 6 Octobre 1935.“ Field inv. N° 1684. Musée de l’Homme deposit inv. N° D.39.3/980. Sold at auction, Collection Océanienne du Voyage de la Korrigane, Hôtel Drouot - Paris, Maurice & Philippe Rheims - auctioneers, Jean Roudillon - expert, 4th & 5th December 1961, Lot N° 92 (the size is wrong).
Literature: Published & Exhibited :
Meyer, Anthony JP.: OCEANIC HEADRESTS / APPUIE-NUQUE OCEANIENS. Catalogue d'exposition. Galerie Meyer, Paris. 2004, N° 26, p. 40/41.
A Bord de la KORRIGANE, Carnets de Voyage de Régine van den Broek d'Obrenan aux Nouvelle-Hébrides, aux Iles Salomon, et aux Iles de l'Amirauté (1934 à 1936). Galerie Meyer, Paris, 11-23 Dec. 2014.
More artworks from the Gallery