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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes

9 - Pigment cup - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea Materials : Woo…
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Estimate €100 - €200
Sale commission
Description
Pigment cup - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea Materials : Wood with used patina. Base included (gallery condition). Provenance: Provenance: Former Guy Seghers collection (Belgium). Collected in Papua New Guinea between the 1970s and 1980s during scientific missions linked to the Leopold III Biological Station on Laing Island. Archives and period photographs preserved. Dimensions: H. 6 cm. Small carved wooden ritual bowl resting on a circular base. The composition combines two stylised bird heads at the ends and a human face on the main side of the bowl. This combination of animal and anthropomorphic forms is a recurring theme in Sepik art, where representations of ancestors, spirits and totemic animals are frequently combined. The vessel, deeply hollowed out and bordered by a wavy outline, has a beautiful patina. The volumes are simple but expressive: the large circular eyes of the birds and the central face with its elongated, sober features underline the symbolic rather than naturalistic nature of the whole. Similar objects were used in ritual and ceremonial activities to hold pigments, betel lime, oils or various substances used in customary practices. The combined presence of human and animal figures reinforces the spiritual dimension of the object.
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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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