An Asmat Shield With Figures And Scrolls from New Guinea - Ca 85 yrs old slipper a technique with early roots

a technique with early roots in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) that flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties

In the 19th century

This piece is unsually small for a Canton export table cabinet

The original piece was constructed from Pine and is over 100 years old - from Gansu province China

making it a true work of art

An Asmat Shield With Figures And Scrolls from New Guinea - Ca 85 yrs old slipper a technique with early rootsAsmat shields were created as functional items for warfare, and were meant to protect the user from the spears and arrows of his enemy. At the same time, the imagery that is carved and painted on the surface of the shield endows the piece with the power of the ancestors. Wood carving is a flourishing tradition among the Asmat, and wood carvers are held in high esteem. The culture hero Fumeripits is considered to be the very first wood carver, and all