ASMAT, Irian Jaya, Indonesia.
Wood, natural polychrome pigments, plant fibres.
Large shield decorated with a complex composition of geometric motifs, hooks and stylized bipanes. The upper part is carved with a standing ancestral figure, only the bust is visible. A median rib in relief runs along the reverse and forms a handle in its centre.
Height: 185.5 cm. Width: 65 cm.
Note: "Generally used during head hunting, apart from everyday use, these shields, sculpted by specialized artists, also serve as a prelude to a revenge raid. This raid being intended to avenge an ancestor or "Kave", whose name the shield bears. The decorative motifs depicted on the shield are other ancestors whose supernatural power serves as rescue and protection for the warrior and ensures success during the raid. These shields are also kept at the entrance to houses to prevent the intrusion of evil spirits into homes.