Korwar Ancestor Figure africanmasks and the harmonious power of

and the harmonious power of love

Miniature vessels such as this were likely used to store and transport medicinal substances or other precious concoctions

The glaze beautifully complements the fine details of the mother and child

Provenance: Finnish private collection

Korwar Ancestor Figure africanmasks and the harmonious power ofKorwar area, late 19th century, Cenderawasih (Geelvink) Bay region, Indonesian province of Papua (Irian Jaya) This extraordinary and exceedingly rare korwar ancestral figure originates from the Korwar region in the Cenderawasih (Geelvink) Bay area of Papua, Indonesia. Carved from a single piece of wood, the statue represents a squatting human figure with a dramatically oversized head, which has been hollowed out to house an actual ancestor skulla