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pair of carved wooden figures of two men sitting on stoolspair of wooden figures of a man and a woman sitting on blocksa wooden sculpture of a man with a broken heada wooden statue of a man with a bird on his headpair of carved wooden figures of a man and a woman
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9 - Philippine school. Mid- 20th century.

Estimate €3,300 - €4,500
Sale commission
Description
Philippine school. Mid- 20th century. 'Bul-ul' Pair of carved wooden sculptures. 56 x 13 x 14,5 and 52 x 13 x 15 cm. Bulul, also known as bul-ul or tinagtaggu, is a carved wooden figure used to protect the rice harvest by the Ifugao (and its subtribe Kalanguya) peoples of northern Luzon. The creation of a bulul involves the ritual “alwen bulul” by a priest to ensure that the statue gains power. The bul'ul is treated with care and respect to avoid the risk of ancestor spirits bringing disease. The figurines are placed along with rice in the house or granaries to bring a bountiful harvest. Male and female Bulul statues are often found together, with symbols related to sex, such as the mortar for the female and the pestle for the male. The male bulul may sometimes be depicted with loincloths and females with tapis (wrap-around skirts), earrings and anklets. Although the form varies, the bulul is commonly depicted as sitting on the ground, with his arms crossed over his raised knees. The bulul has a simplified form, and is traditionally carved from narra or ipil wood. The bulul is played by hands dipped in the blood of a chicken or pig in a ritual called “tunod” during the rice planting season. Over time, the blood imparts a dark color to the figures, overlaid with a patina of fat from the food offerings. The bulul are passed on to the first son of a family. Generally, older statues have holes made by insects in the barn.
About the sale Dialogues with the Past: Vestigia
Auction location
Auction time 07/02/2026 at 7:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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