Southern Abelam Ancestral Spirit Carving
As some of you might know, within the Abelam culture there are a number of artistic substyles and with regards to figurative sculpture the Southern Abelam is the rarest. It is often characterized by intricate compositions, delicate facial features and refined painted designs. The present figure is an excellent example.
Remember, the Abelam were said to have migrated north from the Sepik River hundreds of years ago. What I love on this sculpture is the face near the top with slanted oval eyes and a long, pointed nose—which is surely a remnant of their Sepik heritage. The figure comes from an old English collection, dates to the early 20th century and stands 68 ½” (174 cm) in height. The price is $6500.