Figure
| Origin | Wapo Creek |
|---|---|
| Title | Figure (Bioma) |
| Date | Late 19th–mid 20th century |
| Medium | Wood and pigment |
| Dimensions | Object: 26 3/4 × 10 7/8 × 3/4 in. (67.9 × 27.6 × 1.9 cm) Overall: 26 3/4 x 10 7/8 x 3/4 in. (67.9 x 27.6 x 1.9 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 63.69 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
A flat cut-out stylized human figure carved in low relief. The figure has a heart-shaped face with arms extended over the lead, legs bowed and attached to the base, and a second stylized face in the center of the body.
Used in men’s ceremonial houses of the Papuan Gulf, bioma were placed along with crocodile and pig skulls on a lower level below the spirit boards and skulls of both enemies and venerated ancestors. Within a men’s ceremonial house each clan would have their own area, and therefore their own spirit boards, and bioma.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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Cite this page
"Figure | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=63.69