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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes

44 - Miniature mask - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea Materials: w…
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Estimate €100 - €200
Sale commission
Description
Miniature mask - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea 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. 25 cm (31 cm with stand) This miniature carved wooden mask comes from the Sepik region, a vast cultural area of Papua New Guinea renowned for its rich artistic traditions. It takes on the aesthetic characteristics of the large ceremonial masks of the Sepik Valley in a reduced format, probably intended for votive, ornamental use or as a prestige object. The composition features an elongated face in an oval shape, dominated by a broad forehead decorated with incised geometric motifs. The protruding nose, treated in angular volumes, overhangs a discreet mouth framed by concentric reliefs. The jagged edge enhances the expressiveness of the whole, while the dark patina bears witness to its age and use. The hollowed-out back reveals a light, functional design. A perforation at the top was probably used to suspend the object or attach it to a ritual support. Despite its small size, this sculpture retains all the graphic and symbolic force typical of Sepik art, where anthropomorphic representations often embody ancestors, protective spirits or mythological figures.
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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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