Search Results

Image 1 of 1

Sago food bowl, Kamana, 20th century
Clay, pigment
17.8 x 33 x 15.2 cm (7 x 13 x 6 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.220

Zoom this image

Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: Jolika Collection of New Guinea Art PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "Sawos sago food bowls were made by women using the coiling technique, but the designs were made by men after the bowls were smoothed and had hardened. The latter used the chip-carving technique whereby parallel lines were incised with a hard vein of the sago palm and the clay between the lines was removed. The painting was also done by men; the red, yellow, white, and black earth pigments were taken from a creek bed and mixed with water. The motifs include animal figures and human or 'spirit' faces; such a face is the dominant motif on the bowl illustrated here. Sawos clay bowls were used locally and were also an important trade item with the Iatmul whereby a few villages acted as intermediaries for wider distribution of these bowls along the Sepik River (Egloff, 1977: 50-51, May and Tuckson, 1982:224-31). See Coifier et al. 2001, fig. 147 for a related bowl which was collected on La Korrigane Expedition, 1935. See also Kelm, 1966, vol. 1, figs. 322-23, and 326-48 for a number of related bowls showing a wide range of variation in design motifs." (Catalog #252, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 122.)

Related Keywords
Kamana bowl food Sago Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised Friede John Marcia Art Jolika people Sawos Oceania Province Sepik East Guinea New Implement Tool pigment Clay 0709200406050323 A361135 L05.1.220 AOA