VIRTUAL COLLECTION OF ASIAN MASTERPIECES

Sculpture

wood, ceramic and human hair

Width 12 cm. Height 35,5 cm. Length 20,5 cm.

Grupo Kankanay

Unknown

Philippines; Cordillera de Luzón

18th Century

Ritual

In 1887, a monographic exhibition about the Philippines took place in Madrid with the objective of showing the natural products of those islands, as well as its industry and crafts. It was thought that this would help support trade between those remote lands and the metropolis. Then, an important collection of products and objects belonging to the various groups who inhabited the islands were sent to Madrid. This represented their different economic activities, apparel, ornaments, domestic housewares, musical instruments, ritual objects, weapons, etc. When this exhibition was closed, the Library Museum of High Seas (Museo Biblioteca de Ultramar) was created with all of the collections, both objects and bibliographies. In 1908, this museum was closed and the majority of its collections were passed on to become part of the National Museum of Anthropology.