Null AN IRON WOOD GUARDIAN FIGURE ''HAMPATONG''
Borneo, probably North, Sarawak …

Description

AN IRON WOOD GUARDIAN FIGURE ''HAMPATONG'' Borneo, probably North, Sarawak or Sabah, Malaysia, Iban-Dayak (?), first half of 20th c. H. 170 cm ( o.S.) This expressive, rustically and powerful cut wooden sculpture is fully sculpted from a single piece of ironwood. Although many tree species in the tropics are known as ‘ironwood’, for Borneo this term refers specifically to belian, Eusideroxylon zwageri). This wood is extremely dense and durable and sinks immediately in water. This hampatong represents a mother and child. The child, which touches the mother's nipple, is figuratively only born when the husband has captured a head, as life must first pass before something new can be born. The mother turns her face towards the child and sticks out her tongue in a gesture of ominous defence. It is more likely to be a mother goddess than a real person. The main figure has a traditional topknot. The base is decorated with motifs cut in low relief, combining stylised dragon motifs (aso) and plant forms. This indicates the connection between fertility / harvest and the underworld (the aso is its lord) and the renewal of life, which is the theme of the main scene. The style of the bas-reliefs, which can also be found in tattooing, points to Iban-Dayak (Sarawak), as does the rustic, powerful ‘coarseness’ of the execution. It is a thousand-year-old observation of plant groups that plant growth is promoted by ‘death’ (organic substances). Therefore, the principle of sacrifice should always be understood as a gesture of nourishing the earth and promoting fertility, as the vanished life can be recalled by the underworld deities. Shamans, manang, can control and catalyse this process. Today we would call this process ‘metabolism’ and the utilisation profane as ‘fertilisation’, but the empirical observation that new life arises from death is still indisputable. Hampatong (from patong: Malay ‘statue’) is the generic name for ancestral and protective figures made of hard wood. They are erected by the Dayak groups on Borneo both as memorial sculptures for the deceased at burial sites and as guardians in front of the longhouses. This figure may have been made as a protective figure on the occasion of naming festivals or initiations. From an old German private collection, assembled since the 1950s - Traces of age, partly chipped and with fine age cracks, mounted

1528

AN IRON WOOD GUARDIAN FIGURE ''HAMPATONG'' Borneo, probably North, Sarawak or Sabah, Malaysia, Iban-Dayak (?), first half of 20th c. H. 170 cm ( o.S.) This expressive, rustically and powerful cut wooden sculpture is fully sculpted from a single piece of ironwood. Although many tree species in the tropics are known as ‘ironwood’, for Borneo this term refers specifically to belian, Eusideroxylon zwageri). This wood is extremely dense and durable and sinks immediately in water. This hampatong represents a mother and child. The child, which touches the mother's nipple, is figuratively only born when the husband has captured a head, as life must first pass before something new can be born. The mother turns her face towards the child and sticks out her tongue in a gesture of ominous defence. It is more likely to be a mother goddess than a real person. The main figure has a traditional topknot. The base is decorated with motifs cut in low relief, combining stylised dragon motifs (aso) and plant forms. This indicates the connection between fertility / harvest and the underworld (the aso is its lord) and the renewal of life, which is the theme of the main scene. The style of the bas-reliefs, which can also be found in tattooing, points to Iban-Dayak (Sarawak), as does the rustic, powerful ‘coarseness’ of the execution. It is a thousand-year-old observation of plant groups that plant growth is promoted by ‘death’ (organic substances). Therefore, the principle of sacrifice should always be understood as a gesture of nourishing the earth and promoting fertility, as the vanished life can be recalled by the underworld deities. Shamans, manang, can control and catalyse this process. Today we would call this process ‘metabolism’ and the utilisation profane as ‘fertilisation’, but the empirical observation that new life arises from death is still indisputable. Hampatong (from patong: Malay ‘statue’) is the generic name for ancestral and protective figures made of hard wood. They are erected by the Dayak groups on Borneo both as memorial sculptures for the deceased at burial sites and as guardians in front of the longhouses. This figure may have been made as a protective figure on the occasion of naming festivals or initiations. From an old German private collection, assembled since the 1950s - Traces of age, partly chipped and with fine age cracks, mounted

Auction is over for this lot. See the results

You may also like

Estim. 12 000 - 14 000 EUR

HELMUT NEWTON (Germany, 1920- California, 2004). "Shoe, Monte Carlo, 1983. Gelatin silver. Later print. Signed, titled, dated in pencil and copyright credit stamp on verso. No edition number. Provenance: McCord Collection, New York. Measurements: 36 x 24.6 cm (image); 40 x 31 cm (paper). An ankle subtly cocked and shod in a high heeled shoe occupies the entire photographic plane in this iconic image by Helmut Newton. As a place associated with glamour and luxury, Monte Carlo provides a perfect backdrop for Newton's exploration of fashion and eroticism. The fetishism of high heels and female ankles are explored by the artist in different contexts. In all of them, through daring and carefully crafted compositions, he redefines the parameters of fashion photography and eroticism, the role of women and power relations. Provocation, anti-voyeurism and female empowerment are often attributes of her photos. Newton was born in Berlin, attended the Heinrich-von-Treitschke-Realgymnasium and the American School in Berlin. Interested in photography from the age of 12 when he bought his first camera, he worked for German photographer Yva (Elsie Neuländer Simon) from 1936.The increasingly oppressive restrictions imposed on Jews by the Nuremberg laws caused his father to lose control of the factory; he was briefly interned in a concentration camp on Kristallnacht, , which eventually forced the family to leave Germany. Newton's parents fled to Argentina. Finally, arriving in Singapore, he found he could remain there, first briefly as a photographer for the Straits Times and then as a portrait photographer. Newton was interned by British authorities while in Singapore and was sent to Australia aboard the Queen Mary, arriving in Sydney on September 27, 1940. He was released from internment in 1942 and worked briefly as a fruit picker in northern Victoria. In April 1942, he enlisted in the Australian Army and worked as a truck driver. After the war in 1945, he became a British subject and changed his name to Newton in 1946. That same year, Newton set up a studio on Flinders Lane in Melbourne and worked in fashion, theater and industrial photography during the postwar period. He shared his first joint exhibition in May 1953 with Wolfgang Sievers,The 'New Visions in Photography' exhibition was shown at the Federal Hotel in Collins Street and was probably the first glimpse of New Objectivity photography in Australia. Newton became associated with Henry Talbot, a German Jew who had also interned at Tatura, and his association with the studio continued even after 1957, when he left Australia for London. The studio was renamed 'Helmut Newton and Henry Talbot'. Newton's growing reputation as a fashion photographer was rewarded when he secured a commission to illustrate fashions in a special Australian supplement for Vogue magazine, published in January 1956. He won a 12-month contract with British Vogue and left for London in February 1957, leaving Talbot to manage the business. Newton left the magazine before the end of his contract and went to Paris, where he worked for French and German magazines. He returned to Melbourne in March 1959 to work with Australian Vogue. Newton and his wife finally settled in Paris in 1961. His images appeared in magazines such as the French edition of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. He established a particular style marked by erotic and stylized scenes, often with fetishistic subtexts. In 1980 he created the "Big Nudes" series. His "Nude and Clothed" portfolio followed, and in 1992 "Domestic Nudes," which marked the pinnacle of his erotic-urban style, all of these series supported the dexterity of his technical skills. Newton also worked on more fantastical portraits and studies. He did a series of illustrations for Playboy, including illustrations of Nastassja Kinski and Kristine DeBell.

Estim. 9 000 - 12 000 EUR

HELMUT NEWTON (Germany, 1920- California, 2004). "Sylvia Examining Her High Heeled Shoes in My Studio," Paris, 1981. Gelatin silver. Signed, titled, dated and annotated in pencil. Provenance: Maurizio Siniscaldo Gallery, Naples, Italy. Measurements: 54,6 x 40 cm (image). "Sylvia examining her high heels in my studio" is a photograph that reflects many of the themes that define Helmut Newton's way of working: the carefully crafted composition (with the light of a street lamp filtering in from the darkness of the urban night contrasts with the clarity of the nude and the window frame), the fetish element of the stiletto-heeled shoes that Sylvia holds without mannerism.... Newton often explores themes of power, control and fetishism in her work. In this image, the woman's introspective countenance (oblivious to the gaze of male desire) and the naturalness of her posture empower her, rather than reducing her to the stereotypical female object. In doing so, Newton redefines the parameters of erotic and fashion photography: provocation, anti-voyeurism and female empowerment are his attributes. His women do not appear languid as odalisques but defiant, unabashed and without admitting easy voyeurism. In photographs such as this one, she explores the boundaries between the intimate and the public, while carefully planning her compositions to maximize visual impact. Newton was born in Berlin, attended the Heinrich-von-Treitschke-Realgymnasium and the American School in Berlin. Interested in photography from the age of 12 when he bought his first camera, he worked for German photographer Yva (Elsie Neuländer Simon) from 1936.The increasingly oppressive restrictions imposed on Jews by the Nuremberg laws caused his father to lose control of the factory; he was briefly interned in a concentration camp on Kristallnacht, , which eventually forced the family to leave Germany. Newton's parents fled to Argentina. Finally, arriving in Singapore, he found he could remain there, first briefly as a photographer for the Straits Times and then as a portrait photographer. Newton was interned by British authorities while in Singapore and was sent to Australia aboard the Queen Mary, arriving in Sydney on September 27, 1940. He was released from internment in 1942 and worked briefly as a fruit picker in northern Victoria. In April 1942, he enlisted in the Australian Army and worked as a truck driver. After the war in 1945, he became a British subject and changed his name to Newton in 1946. That same year, Newton set up a studio on Flinders Lane in Melbourne and worked in fashion, theater and industrial photography during the postwar period. He shared his first joint exhibition in May 1953 with Wolfgang Sievers,The 'New Visions in Photography' exhibition was shown at the Federal Hotel in Collins Street and was probably the first glimpse of New Objectivity photography in Australia. Newton became associated with Henry Talbot, a German Jew who had also interned at Tatura, and his association with the studio continued even after 1957, when he left Australia for London. The studio was renamed 'Helmut Newton and Henry Talbot'. Newton's growing reputation as a fashion photographer was rewarded when he secured a commission to illustrate fashions in a special Australian supplement for Vogue magazine, published in January 1956. He won a 12-month contract with British Vogue and left for London in February 1957, leaving Talbot to manage the business. Newton left the magazine before the end of his contract and went to Paris, where he worked for French and German magazines. He returned to Melbourne in March 1959 to work with Australian Vogue. Newton and his wife finally settled in Paris in 1961. His images appeared in magazines such as the French edition of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. He established a particular style marked by erotic and stylized scenes, often with fetishistic subtexts. In 1980 he created the "Big Nudes" series. His "Nude and Clothed" portfolio followed, and in 1992 "Domestic Nudes," which marked the pinnacle of his erotic-urban style, all of these series supported the dexterity of his technical skills. Newton also worked on more fantastical portraits and studies. He did a series of illustrations for Playboy, including illustrations of Nastassja Kinski and Kristine DeBell.

Estim. 10 000 - 15 000 EUR

HELMUT NEWTON (Germany, 1920- California, 2004). "Domestic Nude 7, Los Angeles, 1992. Gelatin silver, copy 9/15. Signed, titled, dated and numbered in pencil. Provenance: Maurizio Siniscaldo Gallery, Naples, Italy. Measurements: 45,2 x 36,2 cm (image). The series "Domestic Nude" that Helmut Newton carried out in Los Angeles in 1992 represented another turn of the screw for artistic and fashion photography. In it, he places women in provocative poses and in unusual domestic spaces: in the doghouse, leaning against the refrigerator.... They are not shown languidly as odalisques but empowered and defiant, without modesty and without admitting easy voyeurism. In "Domestic Nude" she explores the boundaries between the private and the public, between women as subject and object. Newton also carefully plans her compositions to maximize visual impact. Newton was born in Berlin, attended the Heinrich-von-Treitschke-Realgymnasium and the American School in Berlin. Interested in photography from the age of 12 when he bought his first camera, he worked for German photographer Yva (Elsie Neuländer Simon) from 1936.The increasingly oppressive restrictions imposed on Jews by the Nuremberg laws caused his father to lose control of the factory; he was briefly interned in a concentration camp on Kristallnacht, , which eventually forced the family to leave Germany. Newton's parents fled to Argentina. Finally, arriving in Singapore, he found he could remain there, first briefly as a photographer for the Straits Times and then as a portrait photographer. Newton was interned by British authorities while in Singapore and was sent to Australia aboard the Queen Mary, arriving in Sydney on September 27, 1940. He was released from internment in 1942 and worked briefly as a fruit picker in northern Victoria. In April 1942, he enlisted in the Australian Army and worked as a truck driver. After the war in 1945, he became a British subject and changed his name to Newton in 1946. That same year, Newton set up a studio on Flinders Lane in Melbourne and worked in fashion, theater and industrial photography during the postwar period. He shared his first joint exhibition in May 1953 with Wolfgang Sievers,The 'New Visions in Photography' exhibition was shown at the Federal Hotel in Collins Street and was probably the first glimpse of New Objectivity photography in Australia. Newton became associated with Henry Talbot, a German Jew who had also interned at Tatura, and his association with the studio continued even after 1957, when he left Australia for London. The studio was renamed 'Helmut Newton and Henry Talbot'. Newton's growing reputation as a fashion photographer was rewarded when he secured a commission to illustrate fashions in a special Australian supplement for Vogue magazine, published in January 1956. He won a 12-month contract with British Vogue and left for London in February 1957, leaving Talbot to manage the business. Newton left the magazine before the end of his contract and went to Paris, where he worked for French and German magazines. He returned to Melbourne in March 1959 to work with Australian Vogue. Newton and his wife finally settled in Paris in 1961. His images appeared in magazines such as the French edition of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. He established a particular style marked by erotic and stylized scenes, often with fetishistic subtexts. In 1980 he created the "Big Nudes" series. His "Nude and Clothed" portfolio followed, and in 1992 "Domestic Nudes," which marked the pinnacle of his erotic-urban style, all of these series supported the dexterity of his technical skills. Newton also worked on more fantastical portraits and studies. He did a series of illustrations for Playboy, including illustrations of Nastassja Kinski and Kristine DeBell.

Online payments are secured by Ingenico and encrypted transactions.

Each lot has been authenticated and appraised by an Auction House.

Consult our FAQ or contact us

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.

More about Drouot

Drouot certified auction houses

Contacts

HÔTEL DROUOT

9, rue Drouot 75009 Paris, France

+33 (0)1 48 00 20 00

[email protected]

DROUOT.com

[email protected]