Rapa Nui / Polynesian
Late 20th century
Hardwood, obsidian, shell-inlaid eyes
Height 13 in (33 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Santa Barbara, CA
This Rapa Nui Moai Kava Kava figure is a late 20th-century carving in hardwood with obsidian and shell-inlaid eyes. The figure follows the well-known Rapa Nui sculptural type, with an elongated body, exposed ribs, pronounced head, and carefully worked facial details. Moai Kava Kava figures are among the most recognizable forms of Easter Island carving, traditionally associated with ancestral presence and protective or spirit imagery.
This example is also a useful study piece because it was previously presented with a high 2009 appraisal and manufactured provenance that should not be accepted as accurate. Despite that market history, the carving is skillfully made and closely observed, showing the level of detail that can make later Rapa Nui works difficult for collectors to assess. It is best understood as a contemporary Rapa Nui carving after the traditional Moai Kava Kava form, not as an early example.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Rapa Nui / Polynesian
Late 20th century
Hardwood, obsidian, shell-inlaid eyes
Height 13 in (33 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Santa Barbara, CA
This Rapa Nui Moai Kava Kava figure is a late 20th-century carving in hardwood with obsidian and shell-inlaid eyes. The figure follows the well-known Rapa Nui sculptural type, with an elongated body, exposed ribs, pronounced head, and carefully worked facial details. Moai Kava Kava figures are among the most recognizable forms of Easter Island carving, traditionally associated with ancestral presence and protective or spirit imagery.
This example is also a useful study piece because it was previously presented with a high 2009 appraisal and manufactured provenance that should not be accepted as accurate. Despite that market history, the carving is skillfully made and closely observed, showing the level of detail that can make later Rapa Nui works difficult for collectors to assess. It is best understood as a contemporary Rapa Nui carving after the traditional Moai Kava Kava form, not as an early example.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
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