Photograph preserved in the archives of the Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Paris
The de Miré Livika
Sound-making Statue of a Divinity
New Ireland
Ca. 17th – 18th century
Height: 45.1 cm
Wood base by Kichizô Inagaki
Provenance
– Georges de Miré, Paris, presumably acquired from Charles Ratton, Paris, 1920s
– Hôtel Drouot, Paris, Salle No. 8, Alphonse Bellier, assisté par Charles Ratton et Louis Carré,
Vente de sculptures d’Afrique, d’Amérique et d’Océanie, May 7, 1931, lot 145
– M. Troisenfants, location of residence unknown, acquired at the above auction
– Jean-Claude Bellier, Paris
– Private Collection, New York, acquired in 1993
Exhibited
– Galerie du Théâtre Pigalle, Paris, Exposition d’art africain et d’art océanien, February 28 – April 1, 1930
– Galerie Charles Ratton, 14 rue de Marignan, Paris, April 21 – May 2, 1931
– The Museum of Modern Art, New York, “Primitivism” in 20th Century Art: Affinity of
the Tribal and the Modern, September 27, 1984 – January 15, 1985; additional venues:
– The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, February 26 – May 19, 1985
– Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, June 23 – September 1, 1985
– Musée Dapper, Paris, Vision d’Océanie, October 22, 1992 – March 15, 1993
Published
– Galerie du Théâtre Pigalle (ed.), Exposition d’art africain et d’art océanien, Paris,
1930, p. 25, cat. 145 (not illustrated)
– William Rubin (ed.), “Primitivism” in 20th Century Art: Affinity of the Tribal and the Modern,
New York, 1984, vol. 2, p. 606
– William Rubin, Le Primitivisme dans l’art du 20e siècle. Les artistes modernes devant l’art tribal, Paris,
1987, p. 606
– Vincent Bounoure, Vision d’Océanie, Paris, 1992, p. 158
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