A Fine Rare Nicobar Island Female Kareau Spirit Figure Andaman Islands Sea of Bengal India

A Fine Rare Nicobar Island Female Kareau Spirit Figure Andaman Islands Sea of Bengal India

The first thing that struck me about this well-carved figure was the intense face, it took me a minute to place the culture. I had seen other similar figures wearing a top hat & with large ear ornaments from the Nicobar or the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.

This sculpture, when seen from the side view, shows a Woman with a long-bent neck with her hands holding her very large breasts, she is carved seated on a four-legged western-looking stool.   This Kareau Figure is wearing a European-style top hat; many of these figures are depicted wearing top hats, which may reflect the perceived power of Europeans at the time.

 Kareau figures were carved by spiritual healers (menluanas) to heal and protect against illnesses, which could be caused by a range of sources, including evil spirits to foreigners. The carved figure would be set up outside a sick person’s house to scare and drive away the bad spirits thought to be causing the disease.

The Kareau figures were used to guard Nicobar homes against illness, bad luck and other evil spirits. When misfortune befell a household, the Kareau was deemed to have lost its potency and would be discarded and replaced with a new figure. These discarded ‘idols’ were collected as souvenirs by visiting sailors.”

The Nicobar Islands lie in the Indian Ocean, east of Sri Lanka, in the Bay of Bengal. The islands were under the control of various Asian empires in the 16th century. The Islands were colonized by the Danish in ~1756 and were sold to the British in 1869. They became part of India in 1947. While most Nicobarese people practised the Christian faith, they also followed the traditional animistic religion of the island, which includes belief in good and bad spirits.

Provenance: Collected around 1950 The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic & Asian Art

See my new EXHIBITIONS GALLERY  showing the Museums and Art Galleries Exhibitions that I provided artworks for over the past 40 years. There is the link to the article about my artworks published in the prestigious Louvre Magazine in 1996

I have artwork for Museums and art Galleries but also for collectors at every stage of their collecting. I want to encourage people to explore the fine art of New Guinea & West Papua and the Pacific Islands and to be able to see and touch the artworks in a relaxed and friendly manner in my Sydney Gallery. I would like to invite you to visit my gallery and see the artworks in person and also look at my website www.oceanicartsaustralia.com where there are many Galleries & Sub Galleries to explore.

My Gallery of nearly 40 years is the last physical gallery in Sydney that specializes in New Guinea and Oceanic Art.  Sydney is very close to New Guinea & the Pacific Islands where all of these amazing artworks came from, Australia’s closest neighbours.

INQUIRE HERE

If you have a similar “object” for sale please contact me for the best price and honest advice by a Government approved valuer 

To see many more rare items and the finest masterpieces, please make an appointment with us to visit the gallery.

For all inquiries, please contact us