Search Results

Image 1 of 1

artist
Food Dish, 19th–early 20th century
Wood, pigment - lime
55.9 x 22.9 x 5.1 cm (22 x 9 x 2.5 in.)
Gift of Marcia and John Friede in honor of Diane B. Wilsey and Harry S. Parker III 2007.44.126

Zoom this image

Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "William Moore Collection, Los Angeles; Gaston de Havenon Collection, New York." (Catalog #35, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 88.) EXHIBITIONS: 2005 - New Guinea Art. Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede. De Young Museum, San Francisco, 2005. 1953 - de Young Memorial Museum, San Francisco, 1953, "Art of the South Pacific Islands." PUBLICATIONS: 2009 FAM Bulletin entry (unabridged) - "Boiken people occupy one of the most varied terrains of northwest New Guinea, covering the coastal line of Wewak and Schouten Islands, to the eastern hills of the Prince Alexander Range and the Sepik plains. (1) Wooden food dishes were common in this area where traditionally almost every household had several. Some were made exclusively for ceremonial use like this one and were often kept in spirit houses. (2) Ceremonial food dishes were a fundamental part of Boiken rituals revolving around the spirit house, pig exchange ceremonies, and male and female initiations. (3) Typically, men were the creators and integrated designs that deeply corresponded to their spiritual practice. (4) This bowl was carved in an elegant oval shape, with naturalistic carved figures on both ends and a circular design concisely incised on the underside representing a frog in high relief. The two male figures are represented with traditional North coast hairstyles that were worn permanently marking male initiation and adult status. (5) Men would grow their hair through an open-ended conical coif made of tightly woven cane to create a kind of 'topknot'. (6) In 1953, this Boiken food bowl was exhibited and published in the catalogue for "Art of the South Pacific Islands” held at de Young Memorial Museum, San Francisco. This seminal exhibition concentrated on aesthetic qualities of Polynesian and Melanesian masterpieces loaned from public and private collections around the United States." FOOTNOTES (1) May, Patricia “Art Styles among the Boiken.” In Sepik Heritage: Tradition and Change in Papua New Guinea, edited by N. Lutkehaus et al, 501-510. Durham: Carolina Academic Press, 1990: 501. (2) Hamson, Michael Aesthetics of Integrity in New Guinea Art (Brussels and San Francisco: Primedia, 2007), 70. (3) May, “Art Styles among the Boiken,” 508; Hamson, Aesthetics of Integrity, 70; Roscoe, Paul B., “Power and Menace: Sepik Art as an Affecting Presence,” The Journal of Royal Anthropology Institute v. 1 no. 1 (March 1995), 4. (4) May, Patricia, and Margaret Tuckson, The Traditional Pottery of Papua New Guinea (Honolulu: University of Hawai'I Press, 2000): 259. (5) John and Marcia Friede, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, exh. cat. (Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2005), 88. (6) Meyer, Anthony J P, Oceanic art = Ozeanische Kunst = Art océanien v. 1 (Köln: Konemann, 1995), 179. 2005 - "The two terminal figures are shown with the traditional North Coast hair treatment, which involves pulling the hair through a funnel-like device (a mark of male initiation and adult status) to create a kind of topknot. Platters, like this one, were 'used during dancing festivals, pig exchanges, and initiation ceremonies' (May 1990: 504)." (Catalog #35, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 88.) 1953 - Wingert, 1953, fig. 34.

Related Keywords
Dish Food III Parker S Harry Wilsey B Diane honor Gift 88 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces 35 Catalog York Havenon Gaston Angeles Los Moore William people Boiken Oceania Province Sepik East Guinea New Utensil lime pigment Wood 1953 Young de Islands Pacific South Art Included hairstyles coast North traditional represented male two relief high frog representing underside incised design circular ends both figures carved naturalistic shape oval Elegant 0726200511300011 A365316 2007.44.126 AOA