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Figure for sacred flute, 19th century
Wood, pigment, pearl and Nassa shell, plaitwork. (Originally, there may have been a small kiwi-like bird on the figure's head, but now only the feet remain.)
21 5/8 x 4 5/16 x 6 5/16 in.
Gift of Marcia and John Friede 2001.62.6

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Serge Brignoni Collection, Bern (see [Friede catalog] commentary for earlier provenance)." (Catalog #137, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 103-104.) EXHIBITIONS: 1970 - Musée d'ethnographie de Neuchatel, 1970, "Art Océanien." PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "This flute figure and the next one were collected with four others before 1900 and may have entered the Königlichen Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin, as a group. Personally, I believe they were collected together on the von Schleinitz Expedition in 1886 or by German traders around that time. Subsequently, they are said to have been acquired by Louis Lemaire in Amsterdam and, after that, by Arthur Speyer in Germany. They were in Speyer's possession before 1914. The two in our collection later entered the Serge Brignoni Collection, Bern. All of the original six are superb sculptures and quite distinct from each other. They are among the best of the powerful and original creations of the Biwat people. Two of the original group of flute figures are in the Museum der Kulturen, Basel. See Kaufmann, 1980, fig. 67, for the most famous one. Two others were retained by the Speyer heirs until recently. See Stöhr, 1972, figs. 120, 121, and 227. These are now in private collections in Germany and in the United States. The Biwat people made the most elaborate ornaments for their sacred flutes of any group on the Sepik. The figures and theirassociated flutes were used in the ashin male initiation rites. Terri Sowell has written that a unique aspect of Biwat initiation rites is that both girls and boys were initiated and gained the right of access to the sacred beliefs and objects. No other Sepik group allowed women to view their secret religious rites or carvings (Indiana University Art Museum, leaflet, n.d.). In other Sepik socieites, this exclusion of women from knowledge of the sacred flutes, in particular, is so extreme that Douglas Newton stated (1971:126), 'should women see them, their vulvas would close and they would grow testicles.' The frog on the back on this carving does not appear among other Biwat flute figures. A much later flute ornament, collected by Margaret Mead in 1933-34 and now in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, represents the same sub-style as this one. See Wardwell, 1971, fig. 99. The idea of the missing kiwi-like bird, stated above, is based on the bird on top of that figure." (Catalog #137, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 103-104.) 1970 - Bühler, 1970, fig. B.21. 1954 - Tischner, 1954, figs. 8 and 9.

Related Keywords
flute sacred for Gift 104 103 p 2 Volume 2005 John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 137 provenance earlier commentary catalog Friede see Bern Brignoni Serge people Biwat Oceania Province Sepik East Guinea New Papua Melanesia Instrument Musical remain feet only head figure's bird kiwi small been may Originally plaitwork shell Nassa pearl pigment Wood penis large figure male 2002041714170011 A355927 2001.62.6 AOA