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Hand-woven fiber basketry figure of a standing humanoid, possibly a spirit figure, with cowrie shell eyes. The body is tightly plaited plant fiber over a hollow form, painted in black, grey and white with traces of red. It has a braided cord nose and brow and a topknot on the head. The arms are outstretched, one raised, and the hands and feet are wrapped with individually bound fingers and toes. It has an expressive, almost animated pose.
The style matches woven basketry figures and masks from Papua New Guinea, especially the Sepik region, but I have no provenance or collection history. It's sold as a decorative piece.
• Material: woven plant fiber, natural and painted pigments, cowrie shells
• Height: ~15"
• Hollow, lightweight construction
Condition: Age-appropriate wear, consistent with handmade natural fiber. There's an open, frayed hole at one end (see close-up photo). Some finger and toe tips are worn, splitting or exposed. There's fiber fraying and pigment loss throughout. Both cowrie eyes are intact. It's structurally stable and stands on its own. Please see all photos.
