MAORI TATTOOED HEAD (Mokomokai). - Lot 263

MAORI TATTOOED HEAD (Mokomokai). Silver gelatin photograph published by the Photothèque du Musée de l'Homme, Paris. Documentary print bearing the Photothèque’s stamp and inventory reference on the reverse: “Polynesia – New Zealand. Tattooed head. Height: 18 cm.” Photograph depicting a Māori head preserved in the ethnographic collections of the Musée de l’Homme. The spiral moko patterns, engraved across the entire face in accordance with Māori tradition, are among the most iconic examples of Polynesian tattoo art. The Mokomokai were the mummified heads of high-ranking figures or prestigious warriors. They were long preserved as family heirlooms or ceremonial trophies before some of them entered European ethnographic collections in the 19th century. Today, these objects hold a major place in the history of Oceanic collections and are the subject of restitution programs to New Zealand. The print shown here is an official documentary photograph from the Musée de l’Homme, produced for scientific and museological purposes, accompanied by its original identification on the reverse. Condition: in good condition, with slight marginal signs of wear on the reverse. Format: black-and-white photograph on heavy paper. Provenance: Photo Library of the Musée de l’Homme, Paris.