25 Pacific Masterworks in Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Canoe Ornament | Trobriand Islands
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 
 

25 Pacific Masterworks in Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Curated by Steven G. Alpert

 
 

From the onset, there was something so very special about being with Bill and Bertha Teel. Bertha brought an electrifying buzz into any room. She was from New Orleans, and had perfect southern charm mixed with good taste and immediacy of the moment. Bill was patrician, quiet and thoughtful. They made a fine pair and were perfect partners in their avid collecting pursuits.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) has been greatly enriched by not only the Teel's collection, but by their generosity and commitment to share their passion, intelligence and appreciation for high artistry from Africa and the Pacific rim in the public domain. The MFA is one of America's most comprehensive and encyclopedic museums in the United States with a collection of approximately 500,000 items spanning superb European and American collections, an immense collection of Japanese and Asian art, Egyptian and other diverse horizons from antiquity, as well as choice African art. In its current location, constructed in 1909, the MFA is said to be the 52nd most annually visited museum in the world. We at Art of the Ancestors, strongly encourage our readership and visitors to Boston make a beeline to this venerable and thoroughly enjoyable institution. Meanwhile Art of the Ancestors has assembled a presentation of select highlights from the MFA's Pacific Arts collection for our readers' edification.

 
 
 

1

 
 

Figure | Gana Gana | Batak

 
 

Figure | Gana Gana | Batak
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Batak peoples, Indonesia

20th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.207

 
 
 

2

 
 

Dayak Figure | Borneo

 
 

Dayak Figure | Borneo
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Dayak, Northeastern Borneo

Mid 18th – 19th century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1994.411

 
 

3

 
 

Carved Torajan Door | Sulawesi

 

Carved Torajan Door | Sulawesi
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Toraja peoples, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

20th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.305

 
 
 

4

 
 

Ancestor Figure | Tanimbar Islands

 

Ancestor Figure | Tanimbar Islands
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia

20th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.205

 
 
 

5

 
 

Royal Ancestor Figure | Leti Island

 
 

Royal Ancestor Figure | Leti Island
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Leti Island, Indonesia

19th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.262

 
 
 

6

 
 

Roof Panel | Lake Sentani

 
 

Roof Panel | Lake Sentani
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Lake Sentani, Papua New Guinea

19th – 20th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.290

 
 
 

7

 
 

Bark Cloth | Maro | Humboldt Bay

 

Bark Cloth | Maro | Humboldt Bay
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Teluk Yos Sudarso (Humboldt Bay), Papua Barat, Indonesia

Early 20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1991.1076

 
 
 

8

 
 

Male Figure | Lake Sentani

 
 

Male Figure | Lake Sentani
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Lake Sentani, Papua Barat, Indonesia

Early 20th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.328

 
 

9

 
 

Male Figure | Asmat | West Papua

 
 

Male Figure | Asmat | West Papua
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Papua Barat, Indonesia

20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1996.396

 
 
 

10

 
 

Standing Figure | Trobriand Islands

 
 

Standing Figure | Trobriand Islands
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Trobriand Islands, Massim, Papua New Guinea

Late 19th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.192

 
 
 

11

 
 

Canoe Ornament | Trobriand Islands

 
 

Canoe Ornament | Trobriand Islands
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Trobriand Islands, Massim, Papua New Guinea

19th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1994.406

 
 

12

 
 

Suspension Hook | Biwat (Mundugumor) | East Sepik

 

Suspension Hook | Biwat (Mundugumor) | East Sepik
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Yuat River Region, East Sepik, Papua New Guinea

19th – 20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1994.403

 
 

13

 
 

Flute Figure | Mundugumor | Papua New Guinea

 

Flute Figure | Mundugumor | Papua New Guinea
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Yuat River, Papua New Guinea

Early 20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1991.1078

 
 
 

14

 
 

Canoe Prow | New Ireland

 

Canoe Prow | New Ireland
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 
 

New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia

19th – 20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1991.1073

 
 

15

 
 

Mask | Eharo | Elema

 

Mask | Eharo | Elema
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Gulf of Papua, Papua New Guinea

Late 19th — Early 20th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.308

 
 
 

16

 
 

Dance Shield | Kai Diba | Trobriand Islands

 

Dance Shield | Kai Diba | Trobriand Islands
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Trobriand Islands, Massim, Papua New Guinea

20th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.323

 
 
 

17

 
 

Shield | Trobriand Islands

 

Shield | Trobriand Islands
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea

Late 19th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1992.414

 
 
 

18

 
 

Helmet Mask | Kakaparaga | Witu Island

 

Helmet Mask | Kakaparaga | Witu Island
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Witu Island, Papua New Guinea

Late 19th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1991.1075

 
 
 

19

 
 

Mask | Kepong / Ges | New Ireland

 

Mask | Kepong / Ges | New Ireland
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

New Ireland

Late 19th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1991.1072

 
 
 

20

 
 

Stilt Step | Tapuva’e | Marquesas Islands

 

Stilt Step | Tapuva’e | Marquesas Islands
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

19th – 20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1992.418

 
 
 

21

 
 

Carved Maori Face | Aotearoa

 

Carved Maori Face | Aotearoa
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Aotearoa; New Zealand

19th – 20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1994.399

 
 
 

22

 
 

Maori Feeding Funnel | Korere | Aotearoa

 

Maori Feeding Funnel | Korere | Aotearoa
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Aotearoa; New Zealand

19th – 20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1991.1071

 
 
 

23

 
 

Maori Treasure Box | Waka Huia | Aotearoa

 

Maori Treasure Box | Waka Huia | Aotearoa
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Aotearoa; New Zealand

19th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1994.422a-b

 
 
 

24

 
 

Carved Maori Head | Aotearoa

 

Carved Maori Head | Aotearoa
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Aotearoa; New Zealand

Mid-19th to Early 20th Century

Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel

1994.424

 
 
 

25

 
 

Navigation Chart | Marshall Islands

 

Navigation Chart | Marshall Islands
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 
 

Marshall Islands, Micronesia

Mid-20th Century

Bequest of William E. Teel

2014.301

 
 
 

All artworks and images presented in this feature are the property of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 
© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston