Ancestors of the Lake: Art of Lake Sentani and Humboldt Bay, New Guinea - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0300166109 ISBN 13: 9780300166101

Publisher: The Menil Collection, 2011

Synopsis

After Dutch expeditions reached New Guinea's Lake Sentani island and Humboldt Bay in the mid-1800s, Western visitors began collecting works by local artists. Ancestors of the Lake is a stunning look at the region's distinctive art, such as its highly stylized wooden sculptures and decoratively and abstractly designed barkcloths. This beautifully illustrated volume brings together many of these important historic pieces for the first time, including the landmark collection of French writer and art dealer Jacques Viot, along with photographs by Paul Wirz. The book also explores how European Surrealist artists found inspiration in the art of New Guinea, highlighted by rarely seen photographs by Man Ray of Sentani sculpture.

About this title

About the Author:

Virginia-Lee Webb is an art historian and retired Research Curator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Review:

“A gorgeous, must-have book.” —The New York Times (The New York Times)

Selected as the winner of this year's Prix International du Livre d'Art Tribal, International Tribal Book Prize (UK Award) (Prix International du Livre d’Art Tribal Tribal Art & Sotheby's 2012-01-12)

"[A] highly informative catalogue."—A.J. Stone, Choice (A.J. Stone Choice)

About this edition

• Publisher: The Menil Collection
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0300166109
• ISBN 13: 9780300166101
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 136
• Editor: Virginia-Lee Webb