Grande et rare statue, îles Nicobar, Golfe du Bengale , Inde

Merton Simpson, New York
Ancienne collects ion André Schoeller, Paris

Very good condition overall. Wear consistent with age and use within the culture. Left foot broken and repaired using a nail. Two toes broken and missing from the right foot, visible in the catalogue illustration. A few thin stable cracks along the back and a small superficial loss to the top of the right shoulder.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Au dynamisme de la pose – les bras levés dans une attitude protectrice – répond l'exceptionnel naturalisme des proportions et des détails. Le délicat modelé des masses musculaires et des articulations est mis en valeur par la patine nuancée, brun rouge, brillante. Le visage – aux traits d'une extrême sensibilité – se distingue par l'intensité du regard aux grands yeux incrustés de nacre. Elle est richement parée de boucles d'oreilles et d'un long collier.

La statuaire des îles Nicobar (golfe du Bengale, habitées par les Nibobaris et les Shompen) est extrêmement rare et peu documentée. Les sculptures les plus connues sont les très expressives statues anthropo-zoomorphes dites « homme-insecte » dont Charles Ratton et André Breton possédaient chacun un exemplaire (cf. André Breton, 42 rue Fontaine, 17 avril 2003, Paris, CalmelsCohen,  n° 6114).

Le corpus des statues kareau naturalistes est encore plus restreint. Hormis cette œuvre - offrant probablement l'expression la plus belle et la plus aboutie de ce style -, les très rares répertoriées sont celle du Musée du quai Branly, provenant de l'ancienne collects ion du Musée Barbier-Mueller (n° d'inventaire 70.2001.27.237) et celle de l'ancienne collects ion Fred et Rita Richman, aujourd'hui conservée au Metropolitan Museum of Art (n° d'inventaire 1988.143.96).

A large and rare figure, Nicobar Islands, Bay of Bengal, India

The dynamism of the offered figure's pose, its arms raised in a protective attitude, is enhanced by the exceptional naturalism of its proportions and details. The delicate modelling of the muscles and joints is emphasised by the nuanced, glossy, reddish-brown patina. The face, with its sensitive features, is distinguished by the intense gaze of the large eyes, inlaid with mother of pearl. It is richly decorated with earrings and a long necklace.

The statuary of the Nicobar Islands (located in the Bay of Bengal and inhabited by the Nicobaris and the Shompen) is highly rare and little documented. The best known sculptures are the highly expressive 'insect-man' anthropo-zoomorphic figures, of which Charles Ratton and André Breton each owned an example (cf. André Breton, 42 Rue Fontaine, 17 April 2003, Paris, CalmelsCohen, lot 6114).

The corpus of naturalistic kareau figures is rarer still. Alongside this work, which has perhaps the most beautiful expression and successful style of all kareau figures, there are examples in the Musée du quai Branly, formerly in the collects ion of the Musée Barbier-Mueller (acc. no. 70.2001.27.237) and an example from the Fred and Rita Richman collects ion, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. no. 1988.143.96).