Asmat Shield, West Papua, Papua New Guinea Height: 139 cm Wood and pigments. This remarkable shield is distinguished by the depth of its carving and the richness of its polychromy, which is still largely intact. The ancestral figures and motifs that adorn its surface attest to the vitality of Asmat artistic traditions, in which these shields played an essential role in symbolic protection and the affirmation of group identity. The quality of its craftsmanship makes it a fine example of one of New Guinea’s most important sculptural traditions. Provenance: Auction, USA.