A Fine Old New Guinea Basket Hook Figure Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Basket Hook Figure Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

This finely carved Basket Hook Figure is from the Ramu River area of Madang Province, Papua New Guinea.  The intricately carved artwork was made by a master carver with a distinct style, it can be viewed as a different artwork on three sides. The front view shows a male ancestor figure supported by a totemic crocodile on both sides. The second photo shows another small ancestor figure with upraised arms next to a powerful face or mask and the third image shows the crocodile figure and ancestors in profile. The basket hook is carved from a single piece of hardwood and it shows  good age and use where bags of food were hung from the hooks, there is also traces of ochre

One of the things that the early 20th Century European artists loved about Oceanic Art was the New Guinea artist’s ability to use their own style and change forms from realistic to stylized and often abstracted & sometimes Cubist.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art 

I first went to Papua New Guinea in 1985 for an adventure & what I found was that I really enjoyed being with the people of New Guinea, over the next 38 years I spent extensive time spent collecting and documenting traditional art & ceremonies in remote areas of Papua New Guinea & West Papua, The Solomon Islands & Vanuatu & the other Pacific Islands countries. During these travels, I made major collections of New Guinea & Oceanic Art for major Museums and Public Art Galleries

I was honoured by being in the prestigious Louvre Museum Magazine for the collections I made for The Museum of African & Oceanic Art Paris in 1996 (now the Musee Quai Branly) for the exhibition “Asmat et Mimika d’ Irian Jaya April 1996 At THE MUSEE NATIONAL des ARTS D’AFRIQUE et d’ OCEANIE, Paris

See all of the links & photos in my new EXHIBITIONS GALLERY and there is the link to the article in the prestigious Louvre Magazine 1996

I have artwork for Museums & 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 specialises in New Guinea & Oceanic Art. Sydney is just a couple hours’ flight 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.