GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Hand drums are a common musical instrument throughout Papua New Guinea, where they accompanied the clan songs that were sung at ceremonies for the completion of a clan house, initiations, and funerals.
The decoration on this example is characteristic of the art of the Papuan Gulf region, which is essentially two-dimensional with distinctively stylized designs. The primary motif is a human face represented by clusters of fluid linear patterns that indicate the features. The eyes, prominent and easily recognized, are often visual puns: the eyes of the frontal face also form the eyes of two heads of birds with long curving beaks, shown in profile. Eyebrows and nose merge in a single anchorlike element, and a geometric motif separates the human face from the lizard at the pointed end of the drum.
Excerpt from
DMA Label text.
NOTES
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Met~Read an essay about musical instruments in Oceania.
- Encyclopedia Britannica~Read about the climate, people, culture, and history of Papua New Guinea.
- Encyclopedia Britannica~Learn more about the region of Oceania.
- National Museums Scotland~Explore resources about arts of the Oceania region of the Pacific.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1983.648
Category
rules_operator
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General Description
Hand drums are a common musical instrument throughout Papua New Guinea, where they accompanied the clan songs that were sung at ceremonies for the completion of a clan house, initiations, and funerals.
The decoration on this example is characteristic of the art of the Papuan Gulf region, which is essentially two-dimensional with distinctively stylized designs. The primary motif is a human face represented by clusters of fluid linear patterns that indicate the features. The eyes, prominent and easily recognized, are often visual puns: the eyes of the frontal face also form the eyes of two heads of birds with long curving beaks, shown in profile. Eyebrows and nose merge in a single anchorlike element, and a geometric motif separates the human face from the lizard at the pointed end of the drum.
Excerpt from
DMA Label text.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Met~Read an essay about musical instruments in Oceania.
- Encyclopedia Britannica~Read about the climate, people, culture, and history of Papua New Guinea.
- Encyclopedia Britannica~Learn more about the region of Oceania.
- National Museums Scotland~Explore resources about arts of the Oceania region of the Pacific.
Notes
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1983.648
source file
object_notes_4_b-0024.xml.nores