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Ceremonial club or staff, 19th century
Heavy wood, traces of pigment
91.4 x 8.3 x 3.2 cm (36 x 3 1/4 x 1 1/4 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.260

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Baudouin de Grunne Collection, Wezembeek-Oppem, Belgium; Robert Emile Bourchard Collection, Montreuil, France." (Catalog #389, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 148.) EXHIBITIONS: 1979 - Maison de la Culture Woluwe Saint-Pierre, Brussels, 1979, "Ar Papou." PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "To my knowledge, this is a unique object. The refinement suggests Polynesia, but the motifs, such as the saw-tooth design representing hair (Bodrogi, 1961a: 166), are unquestionably Tami, while the triangles below the eyes and the elongated earlobes are also representative of a wider area, including New Britain. The very inticate and detailed ornamentation above the heads, however, is more difficult to connect with any particular part of the Huon Gulf, and may incorporate aspects of art from various parts of New Britain, although with a much more refined execution. According to Dirk Smidt, the human face carved on both sides is reminiscent of wooden masks representing a powerful mystical hero who laid down the rules for society (personal communicaton). In former days, people who had committed serious breaches of the social order could be executed by clubbing. The verdict was performed by a masquerader acting on behalf of the mythical hero represented by a wooden mask. (For a photo of a modern New Britain version of such a masquerader wearing a nausung mask, see Heermann, 2001: 167, fig. 5. One could speculate that to have the face of the mythical hero carved on the executioner's weapon would appear to be most fitting, as it would indicate that punishment was meted out on behalf of the highest authority." (Catalog #389, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 148.) 1979 - de Grunne, 1979, no. 8.6.

Related Keywords
staff or club Ceremonial Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised 148 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 389 Catalog France Montreuil Bourchard Emile Robert Belgium Oppem Wezembeek Grunne de Baudouin people Tami Oceania Province Morobe Guinea New Papua Melanesia Sculpture pigment traces wood Heavy 0709200406050339 A361175 L05.1.260 AOA