Shaman ancestor panel – Paiwan tribe

Exceptional panel from the Paiwan tribe, depicting a shaman ancestor—an extremely rare subject. In this sculpture, the body and sexual attributes are of lesser importance; there are no symbols of warriors or hunters. Instead, the sculptor emphasizes the spiritual dimension, with an oversized head and large eyes—supposed to see what others cannot—surmounted by tribal figures. This upper ensemble occupies nearly half the surface of the panel. Eroded by sun and weather, and given its size (180 cm in length), the panel was most likely placed outside, on the entrance side of the house, and served as one of the front beam supports.

Reference

PA703

Dimensions

Length : 183 cms

Width : 46 cms

Depth : 15 cms

Period

19 th century

Source

Old Taichung collection . Feng Jian Wu- Taipei

Material

wood

We draw our clients’ attention to the fact that the items offered for sale are antique pieces, sometimes over a hundred years old, which have withstood the passage of time and bear the marks of their past use.
It is therefore entirely normal for these items to show signs of wear, patina, cracks, old repairs, or other alterations related to their history and traditional use. By proceeding with the purchase, the buyer acknowledges having reviewed the condition of the item based on the unretouched photographs provided and accepts its specific characteristics linked to its age.
We remain at your disposal to meet you in person in Taiwan (by appointment), provide further information (photos, videos, etc.), or organize a video conference to present the item of your choice.

This object can be seen also on our instagram : https://www.instagram.com/p/CqwOeAPBKYn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==