A Yuat River - Sepik River male ancestor figure Papua New Guinea standing with his hands placed...

A Yuat River - Sepik River male ancestor figure

Papua New Guinea

standing with his hands placed on the abdomen with a long head having a conical coiffure, with red pigment, the back of the coiffure inscribed 5730 Potsdamhafen Dr. A. Bassler 5730, also inscribed to the back 5730, 19th century,

35cm high, on a base. (2)

Provenance

Collected in Papua New Guinea by Dr Arthur Bassler.

He acquired it from the Deutch Neuguinea Campagnie headquarters at Potsdamhafen. Inventoried in the collections of the Linden Museum, Stuttgart in 1899 as "Gotze, Klein, Potsdamhafen (Gotze can be translated as heathen god-like figure or idol).

Deacquisitioned by exchange to Herr Seeger, Stuttgart, 1956.

George Liotard Collection, Marseille.