Indonesian Ancestral Statue with Arms Raised At Angle by Mentawai People, Based

Elbows up, palms out, and a face as plain as a clock.

Wood carvers of West Sumatra, Indonesia, made this ancestral statue, its arms raised at an angle, in the 20th century. Statues of this type are commonly associated with ancestors and remembrance, though local meaning varies. The long torso is smooth and nearly featureless, ending in knees that flex slightly. The face is an oval with a ridge of brow and a tall forehead. The wood has an almost lacquered, near-black finish with warm brown highlights, and the figure rises from a simple black plinth.

About 17 inches tall. Spare lines, and a lot of presence per square inch.