Decorated Ceremonial Board
Artist:
Unknown
Place made:Papua New Guinea
Date: late- 19th-early- 20th century
Medium: Painted wood
Dimensions:
h. 79 in. (200.7 cm); w. 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm)
Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Gilbert M. Denman, Jr.
Object number: 78.1260
Label Text
This decorated board probably came from the interior of a Men's House in New Guinea. The faces represent ancestral spirits or clan fathers. The decoration is carved in very low relief, which has been deepened over time by the naturally corrosive lime used as the base for most native paints.
On view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
