Parrying Shield, Salawaku
Western Seram, Indonesia
Wood and pigment
Ca. 19th century
H: 37.5 in :: 95.25 cm
Provenance: Old Dutch Collection
An exceptionally rare and early variant of a salawaku-styled parrying shield from the western part of Seram where constant warfare and headhunting were the norm until this area’s conversion to either Christianity or Islam.
There are few pictorial shields known, all of which have early collection dates and are almost all in European museums.
SOLD
