Anthropomorphic statue

The head is topped with a headdress. As in most Lower Sepik sculptures, the long nose probably indicates that the figure embodies a mythological spirit, rather than a true ancestor, whose smaller formats, as seen here, were worn as personal amulets intended to promote the protection of ancestral spirits in various areas of daily life. The anthropo-zoomorphic figure stands in the conventional posture, upright on short legs – feet merging into a circular base, arms free from the body, hands resting on the hips. The face, dominated by two large round eyes, is prolonged by a long nasal appendage curving down to the lower abdomen, evoking a bird’s beak, an element that would seem to indicate the spiritual nature of the entity represented. The head is topped by a high conical crest engraved with deep motifs. The surface has a glossy brown patina, with the contours in places enhanced by a white coating, testifying to the use of this protective charm, guaranteeing the intimate link between the individual and the clan spirit.