Artwork Page for Spirit Board

Details / Information for Spirit Board

Spirit Board

before 1930

Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, Papuan Gulf, Elema District, 20th century

Medium
painted wood
Measurements
Overall: 123.2 cm (48 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Munro 1971.154
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print

Description

Like other sacred obejcts, spirit boards were displayed in Elema men's houses. Each board was named after the bush spirit who inhabited it.
Oval, wood spirit board painted with a red and white figure narrowing to points at the top and bottom with jutting rectangular pieces. A long strip of wood juts out of the board as the figure's nose while the eyes are outlined in spiked lines, and the crescent-shaped mouth made from spiked lines. The figure has an oval body with lines making arms with three-fingered hands and legs.

Spirit Board

before 1930

Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, Papuan Gulf, Elema District, 20th century

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

    All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.