Sa'dan Toraja tau tau funeral doll, west-central Sulawesi, I - Lot 15

Lot 15
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Estimation :
1000 - 2000 EUR
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Sa'dan Toraja tau tau funeral doll, west-central Sulawesi, I - Lot 15
Sa'dan Toraja tau tau funeral doll, west-central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Wood, hair, shell, metal, natural pigments, organic fiber clothing. Height (seat): 112.5 cm ( 44 1/4 inches). A tau tau is an effigy of an important person in the Toraja community, carved after his or her death. These sculptures played a central role in funeral rites, serving as receptacles for the soul before its passage to the next world. They were then placed among other effigies in a rock crypt or troglodytic dwelling to watch over the well-being of the villages. Carved from semi-hard wood, our doll with articulated limbs represents a woman seated on a chair and dressed in ancient garments. She wears anklets on each leg. Her face is adorned with shell eyes and hair inserted into a slit at the top of her head, indicating her important rank. Provenance: Bonhams New York, October 23 - November 1, 2023, lot 75W.
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