Artist:Malakula
Medium: Tree fern, vegetal-fiber paste, bamboo, pigment
Geograhical Locations:
Dates:20th century
Dimensions: 42 x 13 1/2 x 7 3/4 in. (106.7 x 34.3 x 19.7 cm)
Collections:
Accession Number: 72.49.1
Image: 72.49.1_bw.jpg,
Catalogue Description: Shield with stylized face at the top: eyebrows indicated; long protruding nose with a tube-like opening horizontally run thru septum; projecting tubular eyes; curved 'tusk' like projections are attached at sides of face. Mouth is oval indentation. Ridged headdress-like area at top of head. Body of shield has black painted geometric markings and two "V" shaped indentations outlined in black. Naval indicated in center of shield; the center of the naval is painted white. The shield is composed of tree fern, covered with clay, and painted with earth pigments: light brick pink, white and black. The tusks are added and have a plant fiber base covered by mud and pigment. The reverse side of the shield has no decorations and has remains of tree bark patterns. Condition: very fragile; mud surface badly crackled; both tusk-like armatures broken at top, one tubular eye is loose. Crackle over entire area does not penetrate fern structure except as noted, about attachment of nose, eyes and tusks.