An ancient and beautiful female kut statue, in an emblematic and characteristic position of the Joraï statuary of the highlands, also commonly called "art of the Montagnards", and said to be in the position of a thinker or a mourner. These statues, which have become great classics of Southeast Asian tribal art, surmounted some of the multiple posts that constituted a palisade structure protecting a burial site, and in no way represented the deceased. This is a female sculpture wearing a bun, and a rare thing, whose sex and breasts are carved and still clearly readable despite the erosion. The gullying of the wood of the kut statues by the weather, which testifies beyond a very beautiful old style of the great age of this sculpture, also participates largely in their beauty. For examples of ancient burials and other kut statues, see : Jarai, Les Indes savantes, 2006, p. 113 and 118. Jorai, (or Jarai), Highlands probably from the Kon Tum region, Vietnam Wood, cracks, erosion and gullies, very beautiful and old patina. H. 110 cm Provenance : - Galerie Bernard Dulon, Paris. - Jacques Boutersky, Paris. - Private collection, Milan.