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Shield, early 20th century
Wood, bark carrying strap
86 x 45 x 3 cm (33 7/8 x 17 11/16 x 1 3/16 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.10

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: Jolika Collection of New Guinea Art PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "Male anthropologists asked the Kalam men what the design on the shield meant. They were told it was nothing, an abstraction. Later, a female anthropologist asked the women the same question. The answer was yam gardens at the bends of the river, viewed from above. A stone-carved Kalam shield is extremely rare. Marcia and I gave a related shield to the museum at Smith College in North Hampton, Mass., in honor of her sister, Suzanne Bresee. There is also a similar shield in the Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin, collected in 1912-13 on the Keram River by the Kaiserin-Augusta River Expedition, published in Kelm, 1968, vol. 3, no. 414. The black color on this and the next shield was produced by rubbing the shield with sugar cane juice or vine sap and then smoking it above the fire." (Catalog #575, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 186.)

Related Keywords
Shield Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised Friede John Marcia Art Jolika people Karam Kalam Oceania Province Madang Guinea New Armor Arms strap carrying bark active be may damage bettle post powder designs surface wood piece one Carved 0709200406050559 A360925 L05.1.10 AOA