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Ceremonial bowl, Plet, 19th–early 20th century
Wood
10 x 31 x 12 cm (3 15/16 x 12 3/16 x 4 3/4 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.334

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: Jolika Collection of New Guinea Art PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "The animal portrayed is probably a turtle (see Bodrogi, 1961a, fig. 92, which shows a similar design of a twin turtle, although fig. 93, depicting a lizard, also resembles the creature on the bowl). Centrally placed on the side is a rendering of a crab, a rarely depicted motif, flanked by two stylized snakes nearly reduced to just their heads. Ceremonial Tami bowls were usually made from a hardwood (Afzelia biyuga). The shining dark color is "obtained by rubbing in soil with a manganese or graphite content..." and "to make it suitable for wood-staining they mix it with the sap of the root of the beech almond" (Neuhauss, 1911: 325-26; also cited in Bodrogi, 1961a: 100)." (Catalog #382, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 147.)

Related Keywords
Plet bowl Ceremonial Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised Friede John Marcia Art Jolika people Tami Oceania Province Morobe Guinea New Papua Melanesia Utensil Wood 0709200406050141 A363452 L05.1.334 AOA