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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes

38 - Pigment bowl - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea Materials: Woo…
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Estimate €300 - €400
Sale commission
Description
Pigment bowl - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea Materials: Wood Provenance: 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: H. 7 cm. A carved wooden ritual bowl showing an elongated figure resting on a small central pedestal. The ends are decorated with two stylised heads facing each other, evoking birds or protective spirits, while the outer walls are decorated with carved motifs typical of Sepik art: scrolls, chevrons and geometric shapes organised around a central motif. Similar vessels were used in the ceremonial houses of the Sepik basin to hold pigments, lime for chewing betel or various substances used in rituals and customary exchanges. The sobriety of the sculpture gives this piece a remarkable presence. The confronted heads framing the bowl are part of the vast iconographic repertoire of the Sepik, where animals, ancestors and spirits are closely linked.
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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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