Ancestral Figure
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Ancestral Figure

TitleAncestral Figure
Date1800s 19th century
Mediumpainted wood with fiber and tapa cloth
ClassificationSculpture
OriginMelanesia, Papua New Guinea, Sepik River region, 19th century Melanesia
Holding institutionThe Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit lineAncestral Figure, 1800s. Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, Sepik River region, 19th century. Painted wood with fiber and tapa cloth; overall: 105.4 x 12.2 x 12.8 cm (41 1/2 x 4 13/16 x 5 1/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Munro, 1971.150
RightsPublic domain (CC0). Free to use for any purpose.

About this artwork

“Ancestral Figure” is a work of unattributed authorship, dated 1800s. It is executed in painted wood with fiber and tapa cloth and classified as sculpture. This work is in the public domain (CC0), so the image may be downloaded and reused for any purpose without permission (see the licence note below).

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The medium

Catalogued as sculpture. See other public-domain works in the same medium, all free to download and reuse.

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The period

Dated to 1800s. Explore the wider set of works from the 19th century held in the archive.

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The origin

Recorded origin: Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, Sepik River region, 19th century. Browse more public-domain art from Melanesia.

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Made available through the The Cleveland Museum of Art open-access programme, which explicitly places this work in the public domain.

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