Lower Sepik River Figure, Male Kandimbong

Lower Sepik River Figure, Male Kandimbong

Lower Sepik River Figure, male Kandimbong with loin cloth

Lower Sepik River Figure, Kandimbong, with long nose, standing on pedestal, mask-like face, big round eyes, spiral design on shoulders and shoulder blades, fiber armband, wearing mal (loin cloth).

In his Diary page 163 (lot 108 box F1), Ledoux may have been referring to this particular figure when he writes: “Collected a malita (pidg.) or NUMARUKIRAR. First scratched a bit …, then given to woman to make her like you….Collected small figures. One male one to put on canoe bow with food offerings to make the canoe go well….little figures remain on the shore but a big one with a mal goes along in the stern of the canoe. These are also called Kandimbwag …”

Similar figure displayed at 2015 Myth + Magic, Art of the Sepik River exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia, and labeled “Kandimbong [ancestor figure] early 20th century prior to 1936, wood, fiber, ochre, wood, bark cloth”.

Locale: Lower Sepik River
Country: Papua New Guinea
Date: 1936 or earlier
Material: Wood, fiber
Dimensions: H11″ / 28cm
Technique: Carved