DOI Heft:
No. 91 (Oct., 1900)
DOI Artikel:Praetorius, Charles J.: Maori wood carving
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19786#0031
Maori IVood Carving
his eyes and hands only. When he carved, as he
often did, a number of concentric circles on a
rafter or beam of his house, the circles were quite
unworthy of the name, and always tended to an
irregular oval form, quite out of drawing, but the
general effect was none the less decorative. There
seems to have been no limit to his sense of decora-
tion, and it is to be noticed that the ornament
rarely weakens or interferes with the original use of
the object.
We can picture a native about to start work.
Having selected his log of wood, often many feet
in length and thickness, armed with his simple
tools he begins to carve, say, a canoe prow.
The first thing done was to roughly shape the
general form of the whole prow ; this completed, he
selects what he considers a suitable spot and carves
a head, probably with large goggle eyes and the
tongue protruding. This head being finished,
he pitches upon another place, some distance from
it, and carves another, and again, until there are as
many heads as fancy may dictate. Sometimes
there are as many as fifty in a fine canoe prow.
fill
MAORI CARVINGS FROM DRAWINGS
BY C J. PR/ETORIUS
He next makes the body, which is generally
squat and ungainly, the size varying accord-
ing as space permits.
In a hand there are often three fingers
and a thumb only.
The prow is generally surmounted by a
large grotesque head.
When the figures are quite done the inter-
vening spaces are filled with coils and short
curves, which the Maori knew so well how to
carve and draw.
. ^ The effect of the finished prow, which often
17
his eyes and hands only. When he carved, as he
often did, a number of concentric circles on a
rafter or beam of his house, the circles were quite
unworthy of the name, and always tended to an
irregular oval form, quite out of drawing, but the
general effect was none the less decorative. There
seems to have been no limit to his sense of decora-
tion, and it is to be noticed that the ornament
rarely weakens or interferes with the original use of
the object.
We can picture a native about to start work.
Having selected his log of wood, often many feet
in length and thickness, armed with his simple
tools he begins to carve, say, a canoe prow.
The first thing done was to roughly shape the
general form of the whole prow ; this completed, he
selects what he considers a suitable spot and carves
a head, probably with large goggle eyes and the
tongue protruding. This head being finished,
he pitches upon another place, some distance from
it, and carves another, and again, until there are as
many heads as fancy may dictate. Sometimes
there are as many as fifty in a fine canoe prow.
fill
MAORI CARVINGS FROM DRAWINGS
BY C J. PR/ETORIUS
He next makes the body, which is generally
squat and ungainly, the size varying accord-
ing as space permits.
In a hand there are often three fingers
and a thumb only.
The prow is generally surmounted by a
large grotesque head.
When the figures are quite done the inter-
vening spaces are filled with coils and short
curves, which the Maori knew so well how to
carve and draw.
. ^ The effect of the finished prow, which often
17