Lot 117, Auction 4/3/2026: Dayak Wood Bound Captive Figure w/ Horse Hair Rope

$390.00

In stock

Southeast Asia, Borneo, Dayak culture, ca. 20th century CE. A compelling Dayak wood sculpture depicting a squatting, nude captive bound tightly with a rope woven from horse hair, the figure rendered with striking restraint and psychological weight. Despite the nudity, the body remains deliberately androgynous, with simplified anatomy and softened contours that resist fixed gender identity and instead emphasize vulnerability and submission. Carved with confident, economical tool marks, the figure sits poised on a circular base, limbs drawn inward and secured at the ankles and neck by the dark braided rope that trails down the back. Such sculptures are understood within Dayak visual traditions as potent symbolic forms, evoking themes of captivity, ritual power, and social order rather than literal portraiture. The tension between physical stillness and implied narrative lends the work a quiet intensity, inviting prolonged contemplation rather than immediate interpretation. Size: 6.3″ W x 14.5″ H (16 cm x 36.8 cm)

Condition: Some nicks, scratches, and abrasions throughout. Fraying to horse hair as shown, but, otherwise intact with nice presentation and rich patina.

Provenance: private Rogers, Arkansas, USA collection; ex-Bosio collection, Miami, Florida, USA, 1960-2000

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.