Tomok, central pillar of a house, Taiwan Yami H. 179 cm - L. 75 cm. Polychrome wood This large architectural element, or Tomok, once served as the central support for the roof of a Yami home. Kept and reused for generations, they were passed down from father to eldest son. They are decorated with the same motifs as the large fishing canoes on which the Yami depended for their livelihood. The engraved figures, painted in red and black on a white background, resemble insects and represent Magamoag, an important ancestor who is said to have taught the Yami the art of agriculture and boat building. Use of traditional ancient pigments. Provenance: 1990-2022. Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert Collection, Paris Acquired from the Mon Steyaert Gallery, Brussels. Exhibition : Galerie Hélène Kamer (Leloup), Paris. 1973 References : For a similar Tomok in the Metropolitan Museum in New York: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/317735 Publication: Hélène Kamer (Leloup), Arts of Taiwan, exhibition catalog. 1973 cat.15