Oceania, Micronesia, Palau Islands, ca. 1951 CE. A rectangular wooden story board hand-painted with a traditional building called a bai, which served as a meetinghouse for men. The board illustrates a scene rather than a full story, with a bird flying in the upper left and the bai's front façade, which has a high triangular roof and abstract figures within 3 registers. These figures may simply represent the motif that a bai would display rather than actual people. The bai was the center of community and religious gatherings in Palau culture, originally a place for men to meet, but evolving into a multi-functional building for many types of gatherings and events. The verso of the panel is dated "Dec. 1951” and the right-hand corner of the front is signed by the artist, "Ngiratkaki." Size: 14.5" L x 1.25" W x 18" H (36.8 cm x 3.2 cm x 45.7 cm)

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#133422

Repaired, vertical fissure filled with adhesive. Chips and fading to pigments. Surface wear and motifs are dark. Surface coated in clear fixative to protect pigments. The back is drilled for mounting hardware.