Lot 5
CEREMONIAL TAPA SKIRT, TEPI
FUTUNA, SOUTH PACIFIC
African & Oceanic Art and Antiquities
Auction: 27 November 2018 at 11:00 GMT
Description
pigment on bark cloth (tapa), with a fine hand-painted pattern on the lower border and bolder freehand motifs above
Dimensions
178 x 155cm
Footnote
Provenance:
French collection, acquired in Cannes in the 1980's
Private collection, London
Literature:
Cf. Neich, R. & Prendergrast, M. (2005) Pacific Tapa. Pg. 65
Note:
The tepi is a wrap around skirt worn by men as a dancing costume on the island of Futuna in the South Pacific. This high volcanic island has abundant rainfall which allows for the widespread growth of lafi, the local term for the mulberry tree which is used in making tapa.
The lower border is hand-painted in patterns of exceptional fineness acheived through application with a thin bamboo pen (Neich & Prendergrast, 2005, pg. 63). Conversely, the main register is strikingly overpainted in orange, ochre and black, boldly contrasting with the formality shown beneath.