Ancestor representation Iles de l'Amirauté, Bismark Archipelago Carved wood Height: 21.5cm 20th century Provenance: - Irwin & Marcia Hersey Collection. New York - Sotheby's New York. May 8, 1989 Lot 109 - Private collection. Paris These small statuettes from the Admiralty Islands are among the rarest of our collection. The concentrated body and face, the absence of a neck, the shoulders subtly following the shape of the figure's jaw give it an interiority, a frozen, tense, condensed strength, accentuating the focus on the strength of its bust and the expressiveness of its elongated face. The domed forehead, surmounted by a domed headdress, the clearly marked superciliary arches, the lower part of the face from the hollowed-out gaze, this interplay of concave and convex forms, intensifying her gaze, her determined, focused expression. The prognathic lower jaw ends in a small mouth. The arm attached to the bust, the rounded hips suggesting the muscularity of the thighs, fine engravings decorating her body signifying the richness of her finery, the ornaments on her arms, legs and torso. Very fine patina due to prolonged handling.