Admiralty Island Figure-Harry Franklin Collection-New Guinea Art-Oceanic Art
Admiralty Island Male Figure
Admiralty Islands, Manus Province, Papua New Guinea
Harry Franklin Collection (O/437), Beverly Hills, California
Published in Oceanic Art: A Celebration of Form, by George R. Ellis, 2009, no. 21
19th century
27 ¾” (70.4 cm) in height
Much of Admiralty Island art is figurative. The wooden bowls sometimes have figures on each end; lime spatulas and coconut shell ladles often have figurative handles. There are bed posts, canoe decorations, and architectural elements featuring figures on them. Yet there are surprisingly few free-standing figures. Not surprisingly, there is very little written on their possible function. Alfred Bühler came to the conclusion that the figures probably relate to recently deceased individuals and in some instances act as reminders for outstanding death payments due surviving relatives.
Published in "OCEANIC ART: PROVENANCE AND HISTORY" edited by Michael Hamson, pages 128/129, item 22.