Monumental Asmat ancestor head, Sor River, Yaosokor, collected in 1957

Description

Rare and monumental life-sized Asmat ancestral head from the Sor River region in West Papua, field-collected in 1957 by Winkler and later originating from Galerie Meyer – Oceanic Art in Paris.

The powerful male head is carved from heavy ironwood and originally formed part of a large ancestor figure. The face has an exceptionally expressive design. The wide mouth is completely open, as if the figure is shouting, with the tongue protruding. Also notable is the strongly carved nose, the hook-shaped nostrils of which run backwards and upwards towards the pierced nasal septum.

The surface shows a deep dark patina, wear and traces of pigment. The geometrically incised decoration around the eyes, temples and cheeks enhances the powerful character of the head. Because of its life-sized scale and open mouth, the sculpture has an exceptionally direct and monumental appearance.

Origin & meaning
Asmat, Area A, Sor River region above Yaosokor Village, West Papua, Indonesia. Early to mid-20th century.

According to the original documentation from Galerie Meyer, the head formed part of a large and important ancestor figure. Monumental ancestor statues occupied an important place within Asmat culture and kept the presence and memory of deceased ancestors alive.

The object was collected in 1957 by Winkler on the upper reaches of the Sor River above Yaosokor Village. The head later ended up at Galerie Meyer – Oceanic Art belonging to Anthony JP Meyer in Paris. Meyer described the object as a rare and imposing life-sized male head, specifically drawing attention to the exceptional shape of the nose, the widely opened mouth and the protruding tongue.

In 2006, the object was acquired directly from Galerie Meyer by a private collector in Amsterdam, in whose collection it remained until 2025.

The piece was featured in ARTPASSIONS in 2019 in an article about Anthony Meyer under the title Monumental ancestor head. In 2023, the same object was catalogued by Dorotheum in Vienna as An exceptional monumental Asmat Head.

Provenance
Collected in the field by Winkler on the upper reaches of the Sor River above Yaosokor Village, 1957.
Winkler, Netherlands.
Galerie Meyer – Oceanic Art, Anthony JP Meyer, Paris.
Private collection, Amsterdam, acquired directly from Galerie Meyer in 2006 and remaining in this collection until 2025.
Vergulde Kat, the Netherlands, 2025.

Literature & documentation
Konrad, Gunter & Ursula and Tobias Schneebaum, Asmat: Life with the Ancestors, Friedhelm Brückner, Glashütten, 1981. Listed as reference literature in the original documentation of Galerie Meyer.

ARTPASSIONS, no. 57, March 2019, Anthony Meyer or heritage by passion. Pictured as Monumental ancestor head, mentioning Sor River, Yaosokor, early to mid 20th century and collected by M. Winkler in 1957. View the publication (PDF).

Dorotheum, Vienna, Tribal Art, 28 June 2023, lot 55, An exceptional monumental Asmat Head.

Dimensions & condition
Height without stand approx. 39 cm.
Including stand: height approx. 53 cm, width approx. 18 cm, depth approx. 23 cm.

Carved ironwood with a dark patina, remnants of pigment and clear traces of age and original use. The head is a fragment of a larger ancestor figure and shows old damage, wear and cracking consistent with age and original function. According to Galerie Meyer's documentation, the surface was treated with wax by a previous owner. Mounted on a metal stand. See the photos for a full impression of the condition.

Product photographs show the object on offer exactly as photographed. Any interior images are AI-generated impressions, included solely to illustrate scale and presentation.