Itara Ancestor Figure

Atauro Island, East Timor
19th / early 20th Century
Wood, fiber cord
7.25 in / 18 cm
$22,500

Ex James Willis; Ex Private Collection

Atauro ancestor figures were often rendered in a Cubistic sculptural style and feature a unique “forward sloping shoulders” iconography. Such stylistic affinities with Modernism have made these figures very sought after by collectors but being from a very tiny island, only a few survive. They were primarily hung from the rafters, sometimes in pairs, and occasionally retain the cord that tied them together, as in this case.