The God of Papuans survived

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The art of the Papuan Gulf area, in New Guinea, has long been misunderstood. What remained of indigenous cultures has suffered. The objects were burned, broken, buried, moldied, gnawed.

So it is unusual that German scientists discovered in 1966 a large statue of the god Iriwake in good enough condition to be repaired. Iriwake, which means man of the woods, is the god of thunder and war, and encourages headhunters. It is believed that the inhabitants of a destroyed village had been careful to preserve it because of its importance.

This piece of wood of 1.25 cm was carved with stone, which indicates that it dates from the pre-contact period. The god is represented as a flat mid-figure effigy. The two massive arms are raised, and highlighted by a strident flash that extends to the chest. This object is unique, with the exception of a similar work which had been photographed in 1925.

The face, also designed in white lines, seems very familiar: it is not because we are connoisseurs of Papuan art but because Jean Dubuffet was greatly inspired by the art of this region.

For tribal arts, the highest prices are obtained on the objects described in major collections and which influenced modern art. This one was an important piece of the van Bussel collection. Sotheby's expects in excess of $ 1 million on May 15 in New York.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

I had some fears about the outcome, because of the condition of the object. After collection, an arm was detached and had to be reassembled.

The uniqueness of the object reflects a destroyed civilization, which influenced some trends of the art of the twentieth century. The price is at the height of its cultural significance: $ 1.2 million including expenses.