Carving Item Number: 3383/4 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Carving of a family on a flat rectangular base. A large man sits on the ground with his knees up and hands on his knees. His head is tilted back so he faces straight up. At the other end, a woman sits facing away from the man with her left leg extended and right leg crossed in, and a child reclining on her leg.

Narrative

According to the donor, the Asmat objects in this accession (3383/1-12), as well as one other carving sold to MOA in 1990 (1481/1), were collected by an explorer named Jim Allen during two trips: one in the spring of 1989, the other in the fall of 1989. On the second expedition they explored the remote Asmat territories of the upper Brazza and Senggo, by hiking down from the highlands.