Old Fibre Doll from Papua New Guinea

Pay back doll Mendi Valley, Southern Highlands,Papua New Guinea, a finely made fibre doll that is old enough to have been used for ritual purposes. In older times if a person was killed by an enemy, the family of the slain person would make an effigy of them and decorate it with some of the deceased ornaments, the doll would be a reminder that revenge or payback was needed. Provenance: Collected by Peter Hallinan (1938-2015). Peter was a well-known and respected field collector of New Guinea Art. For similar examples refer to the Stan Moriarty collection at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. His collection was exhibited in 'Plumes && pearl shells, Art of the New Guinea Highlands' 2014 / Todd Barlin collection. 16.93 in.