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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes

12 - Miniature mask - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea - 21 cm (27 …
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Estimate €200 - €300
Sale commission
Description
Miniature mask - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea - 21 cm (27 cm) Materials : Wood 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. 21 cm (27 cm with stand) This miniature carved wooden mask is typical of artistic production in the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. It is based on the aesthetic codes of the large ceremonial masks used for initiation rituals, fertility ceremonies and cults linked to ancestral spirits. The piece features an elongated face dominated by a long, curved nose forming an openwork loop, a particularly striking feature of the sculpture. The deeply incised almond-shaped eyes, the conical headdress decorated with geometric motifs and the serrated border framing the face bear witness to a decorative vocabulary typical of Sepik art. These details could symbolise spiritual beings, mythical ancestors or protective forces associated with ceremonial houses. Miniature masks of this type were often made as prestige objects, souvenirs of ritual exchanges or smaller versions of more imposing ceremonial models.
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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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