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Ornament for sacred flute, C-14 dating: 1520–1810 (95.4% probability)
Wood, pigment, string, fiber, plaitwork
44 x 7 x 7 cm (17 5/16 x 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.43

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Serge Brignoni Collection, Bern, Switzerland; Charles Ratton Collection, Paris." (Catalog #235, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 120.) PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "The figure represents a woman who had insulted a powerful spirit by 'stealing' his fish. She has been transformed into a fish-eating bird such as that depicted in pl. 191. This mythical concept is less violent but similar to the story of the goddess Artemis and the hunter Actaeon in Greek mythology. The previous owner purchased the object from Charles Ratton around the time I bought the next object from him. Reportedly, Ratton acquired these two Sawos pieces from Serge Brignoni in Bern. Ratton's customer principally specialized in Dogon objects from Mali. Especially from the rear, this piece is as close to the spare style of Dogon as anything from New Guinea. Bühler, 1970: 78-79, fig. 33, illustrates a pair of similar flute ornaments in the Museum der Kulturen, Basel." (Catalog #235, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 120.) 1997 - Drouot Montaigne auction, Paris, Apr. 24, 1997, lot 40.

Related Keywords
flute sacred for Ornament Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised 120 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 235 Catalog Paris Ratton Charles Switzerland Bern Brignoni Serge people Sawos Oceania Province Sepik East Guinea New Papua Melanesia Sculpture plaitwork fiber string pigment orange included coating surface thick wood piece one Carved 0709200406050231 A360958 L05.1.43 AOA