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Headrest, 19th century
Wood, pigment
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.314

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Collected by Lajos Biró in 1898-99. Néprajzi Múseum, Budapest (56819)." (Catalog #378, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 146.) PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "This figure shows extraordinary compression, as if bearing the weight of the world. The two pairs of motifs connecting the elbows with the base are a rendering of Nassa shells, (sanem). Such shells are an essential element of decoration on a particular type of ceremonial bracelets (yo-bela) (Bodrogi, 1961a: 169, fig. 222). The Tami Islands developed an excellent reputation as a center of making such headrests which were copied, but with a loss of quality, along the Huon Gulf coast. Four types are distinguished. This example belongs to a first type that is characterized "by a single central human figure...the arms bent at the elbows," holding up the slab on which, "neck actually rests,...or else the arms arch down to touch the lower slab..." (Bodrogi, 1961a: 91-97). A rare variation is formed by a human figure lying on its stomach while supporting the upper slab with its head and feet (see pl. 379). "The second group includes headrests supported by two human figures" with an openwork part between their heads and the slab (see pl. 377). "The third group comprises headrests whose top slab is supported by animal figures" and "the fourth group is made up of headrests, the upper slab of which is supported by a combination of geometric solids, prisms, arcs, etc." (ibid.). The human figures on Tami and Yabim headrests are associated with and probably derived from similar figures carved in ceremonial house posts. The Yabim call both house post and headrest figures goam (unpublished ms. Biro, 1900: 2, cited in Bodrogi, 1961a: 159)." (Catalog #378, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 146.) 1979 - Bodrogi in Mead, 1979, figs. 14-16. 1971 - Schmitz, 1971, pl. 130. 1963 - Guiart, 1963, no. 263. 1961 - Bodrogi, 1961a, figs. 68a-b.

Related Keywords
Headrest Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised 146 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 378 Catalog 56819 Budapest Mœseum N*prajzi 99 1898 Bir— Lajos by Collected people Tami Oceania Province Morobe Guinea New Papua Melanesia Sculpture pigment Wood 0709200406050084 A352128 L05.1.314 AOA