© British Museum
Tau-rapa (war canoe stern-piece)
Artist: Maori (New Zealand)
Location: British Museum
Date: circa 1850
Materials: wood & haliotis shell
Dimensions: 210 x 30cm
Grant:
Amount Paid: £35 (Total: £35)
Vendor: A D Passmore
Review number: 358 (1921)
Description:
This carved wooden stern-ornament of a Maori canoe depicting two ribs, scroll-work and two human figures. It is of unusual height and an excellent example of Maori art. The Maoris considered canoes to represent the body of an ancestor and to be highly sacred. The imposing end piece includes the prescribed elements of two ribs, scroll-work and two human figures. One of the figures faces forward, as though to cover the attack and one faces behind for defence. Stern-pieces like these were decorated with feathers and streamers. Contact with a canoe was restricted to men, specifically to carvers and warriors.
There are no comments on this artwork
To add comments please login or register.
The Art Fund may edit your comments and not all comments will be published. The Art Fund cannot be help responsible for views expressed by visitors of this website.