19TH C. LETI ANCESTOR FIGURE
Origin:
Period/Date: At least 19th century
Materials: Wood
Dimensions: Height 5.5" (14 cm), Width 2.25" (5.7 cm)
Description: Here's an archaic diminutive ancestor figure. It is beautifully proportioned with a poetically weathered surface showing significant age. Its eyes are very deeply carved suggesting they were once inset with the traditional shell or porcelain. There are remnants of old nails around the waist where a red loin cloth was likely secured. The figure has a profound spiritual presence. In good condition with some old loss to the hands.
The spirits of the deceased members of a family were lodged in small wooden statues. Every family had its own collection of statues, each figure being carved five days after someone had died, since it took that long for the spirit to leave the body. In order to attract the spirit to the statue after it had been carved, it was set on a gold plate. Later, it was wrapped in red cloth and taken to the attic of the house, were the other ancestor statues of family members were stored. Page 76 "Indonesian Primitive Art", by Irwin Hersey.
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