HAMPATONG
Borneo, Kalimantan, Ngaju Dayak
18th to mid 19th century
Iron wood, kayu ulin
Height: 107 cm
Weight: 7 kg
Hampatong is a general term for a statue or figure. The Malay root patung means sculpture. May represent ancestors, male or female, or mythical ancestors. Such ancestors are believed to protect a village by warding off evil spirits. From Eskenazi Museum of Art website: "Ancestral figures, generically called hampatong, are found among many Dayak, a general name applied to the indigenous peoples of Borneo. Ranging in style from rounded, naturalistic figures to relatively flat, stylized examples [...], they traditionally serve both protective and commemorative purposes. In some areas, the figures are placed in front of homes; elsewhere they are housed in shrines. Wherever located, however, a hampatong both honors an ancestor and enlists the spirit of the deceased to ensure prosperity for the living. From Metropolitan website: The spirit of the deceased had to temporarily inhabit the hampatong before it could begin its long and dangerous journey to the next world." Also fitting is this quote: "This figure's tranquil naturalism distinguishes it from other types of hampatong, which are often characterized by such exaggerated features as bulging eyes or aggressively protruding tongues." It is exactly the charming natural depiction of the face that keeps this piece 'alive' even after heavy weathering. This advanced weathering of the very hard ironwood supports early dating.
Condition: Heavily weathered.
Provenance: Ulrich Kortmann, Dortmund. Ex collection Dieter Alfons Eichhorn, Herne, 1980s.
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