IKAT FROM SUMBA – “The Guardian of the Forest Spirits” Sumba Island, Indonesia – ca. 1930–1950
✧ Artistic Description:
This grand ceremonial textile, titled “The Guardian of the Forest Spirits”, is a remarkable piece originating from Sumba Island, one of Indonesia’s richest regions in symbolic textile traditions. It was woven in two panels later hand-stitched together, a common method in creating hinggi, the traditional male garments used in high-status ceremonies.
The composition unfolds in horizontal bands filled with mythological beings, antlered stags in mirrored stance, tree-of-life motifs, and winged totemic figures. These patterns represent a cosmological vision that blends the world of living with the ancestral realm. The use of earthy brown grounds contrasted with indigo blue, red, and ivory white is typical of East Sumba’s ikat style, often associated with nobility, spiritual power, and ceremonial importance.
The depiction of large-antlered deer as guardians suggests fertility, prestige, and ancestral protection. These motifs often appeared in ritual cloths used during funerals of royal lineage or spiritual offerings to honor deceased elders.
Dimensions: 295 x 86 cm
Weight: 502 g
Material: Hand-spun cotton
Technique: Warp ikat, dyed with natural pigments and woven on a traditional backstrap loom
Condition: Good for its age. Presents two small unrepaired flaws (2 to 3 cm). Colors remain well-preserved with strong structure. It is a textile signed by its artisan along with the fabric.
✧ Provenance:
Private Collection Araujo Stückelberger
Carefully preserved in excellent storage conditions, this piece belongs to a heritage collection of ceremonial textiles gathered across Southeast Asia by generations of the family, transported to Europe in the early 20th century.
NOTE: Similar textiles are found in collections at the Tropenmuseum (Amsterdam), the Fowler Museum (UCLA), and major galleries specializing in Southeast Asian tribal and textile art.
SKU: 3642153761351107
COD: IKP1-351107
MAJESTIC CEREMONIALIKAT OF SUMBA – INDONESIA, ca. 1930-1950
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