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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes

7 - Pigment cup - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea Provenance: For…
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Estimate €150 - €200
Sale commission
Description
Pigment cup - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea Provenance: Former Guy Seghers collection (Belgium). Collected in Papua New Guinea between 1970 and 1980 during scientific missions linked to the Leopold III Biological Station on Laing Island. Archives and period photographs preserved. Dimensions:13 cm A beautiful pigment bowl from the Sepik River region, remarkable for the quality of its carving and the balance of its composition. The flared bowl rests on a pedestal decorated with two confronting bird heads whose long curved beaks form elegant openings on either side of the structure. Between these figures is a decoration engraved with vertical lines and geometric motifs that accentuate the verticality of the whole. In the artistic world of the Sepik, representations of birds occupy an important place. Associated with ancestral spirits, the forces of nature or certain clans, they constitute a recurring iconographic repertoire in ritual sculpture. Here, the two stylised heads seem to support the bowl, giving it a particular symbolic presence. These vessels were designed to hold mineral or plant pigments used for body paint, decorating ritual objects or certain ceremonial preparations. The traces of whitish residue still visible on the inside bear witness to this function and are a reminder of the object's prolonged use. The dark, satiny patina, combined with the wear on the most prominent reliefs, highlights the finesse of the carving. Despite its modest dimensions, this bowl has an elaborate architecture in which each element contributes to the overall harmony of the piece.
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About the sale ARTS OF AFRICA & OCEANIA: Three exceptional family collections
Auction location
Auction time 06/22/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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