ArtHitParade
ArtHitParade on Twitter
  • Home
    • Contact
  • Calendar
  • Top 10
    • Origin
    • From 600 BCE to CE
    • Years 1 to 1000
    • Years 1000 to 1300
    • 14th Century
    • 15th Century >
      • Years 1400-1429
      • Years 1430-1459
      • Years 1460-1479
      • Years 1480-1499
    • 16th Century >
      • Years 1500-1519
      • Decade 1520-1529
      • Decade 1530-1539
      • Years 1540-1569
      • Years 1570-1599
    • 17th Century >
      • Decade 1600-1609
      • Decade 1610-1619
      • Decade 1620-1629
      • Decade 1630-1639
      • Decade 1640-1649
      • Decade 1650-1659
      • Years 1660-1679
      • Years 1680-1699
    • 18th Century >
      • Decade 1700-1709
      • Decade 1710-1719
      • Decade 1720-1729
      • Decade 1730-1739
      • Decade 1740-1749
      • Decade 1750-1759
      • Decade 1760-1769
      • Decade 1770-1779 >
        • 1776
      • Decade 1780-1789
      • Decade 1790-1799 >
        • 1792
    • 19th Century >
      • Decade 1800-1809
      • Decade 1810-1819
      • Decade 1820-1829
      • Decade 1830-1839
      • Decade 1840-1849
      • Decade 1850-1859
      • Decade 1860-1869
      • Decade 1870-1879
      • Decade 1880-1889 >
        • 1887
        • 1888
        • 1889
      • Decade 1890-1899 >
        • 1890
        • 1892
        • 1896
    • 20th Century >
      • Decade 1900-1909 >
        • 1903
        • 1904
        • 1905
        • 1907
        • 1908
        • 1909
      • Decade 1910-1919 >
        • 1911
        • 1912
        • 1913
        • 1914
        • 1915
        • 1916
        • 1917
        • 1918
        • 1919
      • Decade 1920-1929 >
        • 1920
        • 1921
        • 1923
        • 1924
        • 1925
        • 1926
        • 1927
        • 1928
        • 1929
      • Decade 1930-1939 >
        • 1930
        • 1931
        • 1932
        • 1933
        • 1934
        • 1935
        • 1936
        • 1937
        • 1938
        • 1939
      • Decade 1940-1949 >
        • 1941
        • 1942
        • 1945
        • 1946
        • 1947
        • 1948
        • 1949
      • Decade 1950-1959 >
        • 1950
        • 1951
        • 1952
        • 1953
        • 1954
        • 1955
        • 1956
        • 1957
        • 1958
        • 1959
      • Decade 1960-1969 >
        • 1960
        • 1961
        • 1962
        • 1963
        • 1964
        • 1965
        • 1966
        • 1967
        • 1968
        • 1969
      • Decade 1970-1979 >
        • 1970
        • 1971
        • 1972
        • 1974
        • 1975
        • 1976
        • 1977
        • 1978
        • 1979
      • Decade 1980-1989 >
        • 1980
        • 1981
        • 1982
        • 1983
        • 1984
        • 1985
        • 1986
        • 1987
        • 1988
      • Decade 1990-1999 >
        • 1990
        • 1991
        • 1992
        • 1993
        • 1994
        • 1995
        • 1996
        • 1997
        • 1998
        • 1999
    • 21st Century >
      • Decade 2000-2009 >
        • 2000
        • 2001
        • 2002
        • 2003
        • 2006
        • 2007
        • 2008
      • Decade 2010-2019 >
        • 2017
      • 2020 to now
  • Current Art
  • Renaissance
  • Painting
    • Ancient Painting >
      • Oil on Copper
    • 18th Century Painting
  • Ancient Drawing
  • Art on Paper
  • Sculpture
    • Bust
    • Ancient Sculpture >
      • Roman Sculpture
    • Italian Sculpture
    • French Sculpture
    • Sculpture by Painters
  • Women Artists
    • Ancient Art by Women
    • Art by Women ca 1960
    • Current Art by Women
    • Martin
  • Furniture
    • Chairs and Seats
    • Colonial Furniture
    • Ancient French Furniture
    • 18th Century Furniture
    • Modern Furniture >
      • Art Deco
    • Modern Tables
  • Prints
    • Ancient Prints
    • Modern Prints
  • Photo
    • Old Photos >
      • Travel Photos
      • Early French Photo
    • Photos 1900-1940 >
      • Photos in the 1920s
    • Photos 1970s 1980s
    • Sherman
    • Gursky
  • The Man
  • The Woman
  • Children
  • Man and Woman
  • Groups
  • Self Portrait
    • Self Portrait 2nd page
  • Nude
  • Abstract Art
    • Abstract Art - 2nd page
  • Landscape
    • Midi
    • Alps
    • Mountains in China
  • Cities
    • Venice
    • Paris
    • Los Angeles
  • Flowers
    • Bouquet
  • Animals
    • Bird
    • Cats
    • Horse
  • Dragon
  • Tabletop
  • Early Still Life
  • Music and Dance in Art
    • Music in Old Painting
  • Sport in Art
  • Orientalism
    • Orientalism 1830-1900
  • France
    • Louis XV and XVI
    • Revolution and Empire
    • Louis XVIII to 2nd Empire
    • Ancient French Painting
    • Degas
    • Cézanne
    • Monet >
      • Monet before 1878
      • From Vétheuil to Giverny
      • Pond by Monet
    • Renoir
    • Gauguin
    • Lautrec
    • Matisse
    • Klein
    • Lalanne
    • Post War French Art
  • Italy
    • Italian Painting 1280-1700
    • Canaletto
    • Modigliani
    • Fontana
    • Italy 2nd page
  • Swiss Painting before 1940
    • Hodler
  • Giacometti
    • Giacometti 1947-53
  • Bacon
    • Bacon before 1963
    • Bacon 1963-70
    • Later Bacons
  • UK - 2nd page
    • Ancient England
    • George I to III
    • George IV to Victoria
    • British Royals
    • Turner >
      • Watercolor by Turner
    • Freud
    • Hockney
    • Doig
    • Hirst
    • Banksy
  • Germany
    • Ancient Germany
    • Richter >
      • Richter before 1983
    • Germany - 2nd page
  • Rembrandt
  • Van Gogh
  • De Kooning
  • Holland 2nd page
  • Old Flanders and Belgium
    • Flemish Art >
      • Rubens
    • Magritte
    • Tintin
    • Belgium 2nd page
  • Picasso
    • Picasso before 1907
    • Picasso 1907-1931
    • 1932 Picasso
    • Picasso later 1930s
    • Picasso 1940-1960
    • Picasso in Mougins
    • Prints by Picasso
  • Spain - 2nd page
    • Ancient Spain
    • Miro
    • Spain 3rd page
  • Klimt
  • Austria 2nd page
  • USA
    • US Independence
    • Development of USA
    • US Civil War
    • Wild West
    • US Painting before 1940
    • Rockwell
    • Calder
    • Rothko >
      • Early Rothko
      • Rothko 1957-70
    • Still
    • Pollock
    • Lichtenstein >
      • Lichtenstein after 1965
    • Warhol >
      • USA by Warhol
      • Celebrities by Warhol
      • Later Warhols
      • Prints by Warhol
    • Twombly
    • Prince
    • Koons
    • Wool
    • Basquiat
    • USA 2nd page
  • Central and South Americas
  • China
    • Archaic China >
      • Ritual Bronzes
    • Northern Song
    • Southern Song and Yuan
    • Early Ming
    • Later Ming
    • Early Qing
    • Qianlong
    • Modern China >
      • Zhang Daqian
      • Sanyu
      • Zao Wou-Ki
    • New Chinese Painting
    • Chinese Porcelain >
      • Song to Yuan Porcelain
      • Ming Porcelain
      • Qing Porcelain
    • Chinese Art
    • Chinese Calligraphy
    • Chinese Furniture
    • Jade
  • India
    • Tibet and Nepal
    • Modern India >
      • Gaitonde
  • Persia
    • Safavid Carpets
  • Yoshitomo Nara
  • Russia
    • Russia 1700-1900
    • Kandinsky
  • Eastern Europe
    • Chagall
  • Northern Europe
    • Prints by Munch
  • Egypt
  • Tropical Africa
    • Congo
    • Gabon
    • Mask
  • Tribal Oceania
    • Easter Island
  • Australia
    • Colonial Australia
  • Islam
  • Buddhism
    • Early Buddhist Sculpture
  • Judaica
  • Christianity
    • Madonna and Child
  • Cars
    • Birth of Automobile
    • Cars of the 1910s
    • Cars of the 1920s
    • Cars of the 1930s >
      • Cars 1930-33
      • Cars 1934-35
      • Cars 1936-37
      • Cars 1938-39
    • Post War Cars >
      • Cars 1940-50
      • Cars 1951-53
      • Cars 1954-55
      • Cars 1956-57
      • Cars 1958-59
    • Cars of the 1960s >
      • Cars 1960-61
      • Cars 1962-64
      • Cars 1965-67
    • Cars 1970s 1980s
    • Supercars
    • Hypercars
    • Ferrari >
      • Early Ferrari
      • From LWB to GTO >
        • California Spider
      • Ferrari after 1962
    • Alfa Romeo
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • Porsche
    • British Cars >
      • Aston Martin
      • Jaguar
      • McLaren
    • Bugatti
    • French Cars
    • Duesenberg
    • Ford and Shelby
    • Cars - 2nd page
  • Motorcycles
  • Jewels
    • White Diamond
    • Pink Diamond
    • Blue Diamond
    • African Diamonds
    • Jewels - 2nd page
    • Cartier
  • Silverware
    • Old Silverware
  • Coin
    • Gold Coins
    • Silver Coins
    • Antique Coins
    • Coins 1000-1775
    • Coins 1776-92
    • Coins 1793-99
    • Coins 1800-49
    • Coins 1850-69
    • Coins 1870-99
    • 20th century Coins
    • British Coins
    • Dollars and Eagles
    • Japanese Coins
    • Chinese Coins
  • Paper Currency
  • Medal and Decoration
  • Time Pieces
    • Clocks >
      • Old Clocks
    • Mechanical Craft ca 1800 >
      • Jaquet-Droz and Followers
    • Modern Watches
    • New Watches >
      • OnlyWatch
    • Patek Philippe >
      • Patek Philippe before 1950
      • World Time
      • Perpetual Calendar
    • Rolex
    • Watches 2nd page
    • English Time Pieces
    • French Time Pieces
  • Glass and Crystal
    • Glass before 1900
    • Tiffany Studios
  • From Terracotta to Porcelain
    • Meissen
  • Textiles
  • Garment
  • Fashion
  • Books
    • Incunabula
    • 16th Century Books
    • 17th Century Books
    • Fine Books 1700-1850
  • Literature
    • Literature in English
    • Literature in French
  • Poems and Lyrics
  • Autograph
  • Manuscript
    • Illuminated Christian Manuscript
  • Religious Texts
  • Political Writing
  • Comic Books
  • Illustrators
  • Travel
  • Space
  • Maps
  • Cars in Movies
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Musical Instrument
    • Violin
    • Guitar
    • Musical Instrument 2nd page
  • Pop Music
    • The Beatles
  • Poster
  • Sport
    • Sport Equipment
    • Sport Uniform
    • Sport Document
    • Sport Rewards and Medals
    • T206 Wagner
    • Sport Images before 1950
    • Sport Cards 1950-80
    • Modern Sport Cards
    • Baseball >
      • Baseball Bat
      • Babe Ruth
      • Lou Gehrig
    • Basketball >
      • Jordan
    • Ice Hockey
    • Sport 2nd page
    • Olympic Games
  • Origins of Sports
  • Historical Arms
    • Blade and Armour
    • Colt 1836-62
    • Later Colts
    • Winchester
    • Firearms - 2nd page
  • Toys
  • Doll
  • Games
  • Stamps
    • World Stamps
    • US Stamps
    • Inverted Jenny
  • Inventions
  • Instrument and Equipment
  • Sciences
    • Ancient Science
    • Sciences 1600-1800
    • Sciences from 1800
    • Astronomy
    • Physics
    • Medicine
    • Dinosaur
  • Computing
  • Nobel Medals
  • Whisky
    • Whisky 2nd page
  • Wine
  • Plus
    • Plus 1880s
    • Plus 1962-64
    • Plus 1982 Basquiat

Easter Island (page in construction)

Except otherwise stated, all results below include the premium.
​See also : Tribal Oceania

Rapa
​Intro

Easter island is discovered in 1722. The local civilization is of a great originality because of its isolation. From the 1774 Cook expedition, some objects in wood are brought back to Europe. At that time the anti-pagan obsession prevents ethnological interpretations.

It was not until 1868 that a marine surgeon on stopover made the first field observations. The wooden object coated in black consisting of two flat blades linked like a dumbbell was known since Cook. Its use in ritual dances and its name in the indigenous language, rapa, are finally known. The abundance of the artifact and of its painted, sculpted or tattooed representations assesses its ritual importance. The central handle has a patina of use.

It is already too late. However in 1886 the rite is mimed for a visitor. The ethnographic description becomes more precise. Each dancer uses a pair, one rapa in each hand, which he twirls at very high speed. The rapa dance chases the evil spirits, but the details of the rite are already lost. Who are the rapa ? How are they paired ? What is their mystical relationship with moai, ua and ao ?

The rapa form a homogeneous crowd, matching a single anthropomorphic model but with varying heights. The face is drawn by an incised and whitened double arch forming a superb continuity of the line from nose to ear through eyebrow. Hair, eyes, mouth and limbs are absent. The other end, not incised, is the abdomen, prolonged by the phallus for the male rapa and by a tiny sex protuberance for the female.

This object is unique in the world by its use. The anthropomorphic simplification is of great aesthetic efficiency, all the more remarkable as this people was totally isolated from the rest of the world. The balance of the masses must be excellent to ensure the perfection of the dance.

​1
​Pair
​2017 SOLD for € 3.9M by Sotheby's

Nearly 900 colossal anthropomorphic stone statues delineated and oversaw the playgrounds of the festive ceremonies on Easter Island. Participants used a variety of wood accessories ranging in style from the very fine expression of the ancestral figures to the sublime simplification of the flat paddles of dance including ao and rapa.

The large ao were reserved for dignitaries. Shorter and thinner, rapa were used in pairs by virtuoso dancers who twirled them, one in each hand. They have no equivalent in other tribal cultures. The largest rapa are 1.20 m long.

The rapa is a thin cylinder used as a handle with a flat blade at each end. The upper part has the outline of a head with protuberances for the ear ornaments. The facial features drawn identically on both sides consist only of the geometrically perfect double arch of nose and eyebrows. The pear shaped lower part is the abdomen. It is extended by a phallus. Limbs are absent.

On December 12, 2017, Sotheby's sold for € 3.9M a set of two rapa 78 and 71 cm overall from a lower estimate of € 1M, lot 7. They probably already made a pair before their collection. Only one of them has the phallus.

Record mondial pour une œuvre île de Pâques. Paire de rapa, 3.876.700 € chez @SothebysFr Comme nous l'écrivions Paris est définitivement capitale des Arts premiers. Démonstration en quelques chefs-d'œuvre ce mardi soir 12 décembre. https://t.co/gCY7iV9hbS pic.twitter.com/7wbQosAsXu

— lecurieuxdesarts (@PresseKraemer) December 12, 2017
Tribal Oceania

2
2014 SOLD for € 1.9M by Sotheby's

A 82 cm male rapa was sold for € 1.9M by Sotheby's on December 10, 2014 from a lower estimate of € 300K.

3
2021 SOLD for € 1.82M by Christie's

A 76 cm male rapa was sold for € 1.82M by Christie's on June 23, 2021, ​lot 5.

​4
​2019 SOLD for € 1.8M by Sotheby's

On December 4, 2019, Sotheby's sold a male rapa 86 cm high for € 1.8M, lot 10.

#AuctionUpdate Cette exceptionnelle pagaie de danse cérémonielle Rapa, a une histoire unique. Passée par les collections Schindler et Bernard de Grunne, elle a été exposée dans de grandes institutions internationales. Elle rejoint une nouvelle collection pour 1.8 M€ #Oceania pic.twitter.com/m2y6amiiHQ

— Sotheby's France (@SothebysFr) December 4, 2019

Moai
​Intro

Easter Island is at mid distance between Chile and Tahiti. Its cultural group of Polynesian origin, cut off from other mankind for a millennium or more, nearly disappeared in the decades that followed the discovery by European explorers in 1722. The megalithic Moai are classified by UNESCO as world heritage of humanity.

The word Moai means image. It is also used for small wooden figures. Kavakava refers to a male Moai with a protruding rib cage whose body is very elongated and emaciated, like a hybrid between a being and his skeleton. Kavakava means 'ribs'. The large mesmerizing eyes are made of black obsidian irises inserted in white bone.
​

The feet are not made for standing. Compared with Mbole figures from Congo which have a similar characteristic, it may be supposed that the iconography of the kavakava symbolizes the moment when the deceased becomes a ghost. Eyewitnesses observed that the dancers hung them to their neck or carried them in their hands as a protection against evil.

Although these pieces respond to a canon, small variations demonstrate that they are not strictly anthropomorphic. A kavakava kept in the museum of La Rochelle has two heads. Other figures may be mixed with bird or eel.

1
​Kavakava
​2021 SOLD for € 1.7M by Christie's

A moai kavakava 47 cm high was sold for € 1.7M from a lower estimate of € 600K by Christie's on June 23, 2021, lot 49.

With its sharp naturalism of the cadaver and its natural proportions, it could be an early example. The kavakava realized after the contact with the explorers have a large head gradually increasing with time.

This specimen is carved with enigmatic symbols including a pair of fish on the head, a little bump on each buttock and a large sacrolumbar triangle.

2
Kavakava
​2019 SOLD for € 850K by Christie's

The Christian missionaries on Easter Island needed money. In 1868 they collect many wooden figures of the native ceremonies. The frigate HMS Topaze buys a large number of pieces. Taking advantage of a moment of inattention of the officers, the sailors exchange most of this treasure in the bars of Valparaiso.

A moai kavakava brought home by a Lieutenant of the Topaze was sold for € 850K by Christie's on April 10, 2019, lot 63. Please watch the video prepared by the auction house. This figure 44 cm high was beautifully carved in a very hard wood that no longer exists today because of deforestation.

3
​Kavakava
​2008 SOLD for $ 610K by Sotheby's

On November 14, 2008, Sotheby's sold a 42 cm high kavakava for $ 610K from a lower estimate of $ 250K. The man is bent forward, with arched legs and a small lizard tail. The head is big and realistic, and ears stretched down to the level of the chin. The obsidian and bone eyes seem, even on a small photo, have a power of hypnosis.

4
Pa'a Pa'a
2002 SOLD for € 530K by Sotheby's

The female equivalent of the kavakava is the pa'a pa'a, displayed in an upright position.

​On September 30, 2002, Sotheby's sold a moai pa'a pa'a for € 530K. In the same sale, a kavakava was sold for € 310K. The price difference certainly related to the scarcity of the female moai.

Lizard Man Statue
2021 SOLD for € 1.82M by Christie's

​Link to catalogue.

Pectoral Pendant
2021 SOLD for € 810K by Christie's

​Link to catalogue.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.