WOVEN BAT FIGURE, Abelam, Papua New Guinea

Chris Boylan Oceanic Art

        WOVEN BAT FIGURE, Abelam, Sepik Plains, Wosera, PNG

This woven bat figure, with a baby protruding from its pouch, is an exceptional and dyna,ic work. The wings are curved and spread, like a bat in flight. The detailing is superb, by a master carftsman, with the claws on the feet and wings actually using the claws off a real bat. The bat depicted is the largest in Melanesia, the Great Flying Fox ( Pteropus neohibernicus). Totem animalimages are often attached to the front on the Haus Tambaran (Men's Spirit House). They are more often wooden, but sometimes woven, and depict birds, snakes, bats etc.

$3,800.00

Artwork details