The Otto Bütschli (1848-1920) Huon-Gulf Board
Collected in the last part of the 19th century in
Finschhafen – which was at that time part of
what was known as Kaiser Wilhelmsland – this
important house-board from the stylistic region
of the Huon-Gulf (H. 120cm) was part of the
men‘s house, which stood at the center of the
social and ceremonial life. As outside of some
German museums only very few house-boards
from this region are known, it is a highly rare
work of art that captivates through the intriguing
presence of the mask-like face wearing
the oa-balan headdress, which is the stylized
representation of a festive coi‚ure made from
precious feathers that evokes the impression of
a fishtail.
Once in the private collection of the German
zoologist Prof. Dr. Otto Bütschli (1848-1920), who
was a scholar at the University of Heidelberg in
Germany, an old label on the rear side identifies
this Huon-Gulf house-board as the gift from
Wladimir Schewiako‚ (1859-1930), a Russian
zoologist and student of Bütschli in Heidelberg
in the 1890s. A further label on its back – which
is shown and translated into English below –
allows some conclusions about its in situ usage.
It was placed next to the entrance of the men‘s
house and thereby one of the first ritual objects
to be seen when entering this sacred place.
Thus, this Huon-Gulf house-board is both, an
important cultural emblem and a work of art
that is of exceedingly well-documented history.
“Carved board, laterally on the right
and left side from the door on the wall attached,
Finschhafen”
obere zäune 24šch-8001šzürichš+41œ44œ242œ8900špatrikfroehlich@swissonline.chš www.tribalart.ch
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