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51
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- Amulet - Ramu river - Papua New Guinea - France
Provenance…
See original version (French)
51
-
- Amulet - Ramu river - Papua New Guinea - France
Provenance…
See original version (French)
Estimate €800 - €1,200
Voluntary lot
Description
- Amulet - Ramu river - Papua New Guinea - France
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. The work is recorded in a field notebook under reference A.93 (6), dated 1976, with the words: "Amulette, Keram".
Materials: Wood
Dimensions: H. 7.5 cm.
This small anthropomorphic figure has a particularly expressive iconography. The figure is depicted crouching, its arms folded over its legs, in a posture of concentration or withdrawal. The deliberately disproportionate head features a large open mouth forming a circular cavity, while the eyes are reduced to simple spiral motifs. A small appendage at the top of the head accentuates its supernatural character.
With its small size, ancient patina and deeply stylised appearance, this sculpture is reminiscent of the amulets or small protective figures produced in the Ramu and Lower Sepik regions, where representations of ancestral spirits or tutelary entities often adopt deliberately deformed and expressive forms. The compact volumes, bent limbs and enlarged heads are reminiscent of other remarkable small magical or protective figures in old Papua New Guinea collections.
See original version (French)
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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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