Skip to main content
Standing Female Figure, early to mid 20th Century
Asmat culture; Papua (Irian Jaya) Province, …
Female Figure
Standing Female Figure, early to mid 20th Century
Asmat culture; Papua (Irian Jaya) Province, …
Standing Female Figure, early to mid 20th Century Asmat culture; Papua (Irian Jaya) Province, Indonesia, Melanesia Wood and bone; 45 1/2 × 9 × 10 in. 2013.19.1 Bowers Museum Purchase

Female Figure

ClassificationsSculpture
Culture Asmat
Dateearly to mid 20th Century
Made AtPapua (Irian Jaya) Province, Indonesia
MediumWood and bone
Dimensions45 1/2 × 9 × 10 in. (115.6 × 22.9 × 25.4 cm)
Credit LineBowers Museum Purchase
Object number2013.19.1
DescriptionInside Asmat mens' houses important ceremonies occur to connect the living with the realm of the spirits and ancestors. Each family has its own fireplace and hearth pole to which an ancestor figure is attached. The figure, awakened with drumming and singing, is considered an actual ancestor.

On View
On view
Female Figure, mid 20th Century
Possibly from Taway Village, Lower Sepik River region, East Se…
mid 20th Century
Male Ancestor Figure, 20th Century
Luba culture; Democratic Republic of the Congo
Wood, cloth…
Hemba
20th Century
Shield, mid to late 20th Century
 Asmat culture; Papua (Irian Jaya) Province, Indonesia, Melan…
Asmat
mid to late 20th Century
Standing Female Figure; unknown date
Dogon culture; Niogom, Mali
Wood; 71 x 11 in.
2003.34.6…
Dogon
16th to 19th century
Figurative Sculpture (Ngwallndu), 20th Century
Wosera Abelam culture; Prince Alexander Mountai…
Wosera Abelam
20th Century
Figurative Male Sculpture (Nggwalndu), 20th Century
Wosera Abelam people; Prince Alexander Mou…
Abelam
20th Century
Yaka Janus Figure, 20th Century
Yaka culture; Democratic Republic of the Congo
Wood; 10 5/8 x…
Yaka
20th Century