Artist unknown / Kapkap / 20th century

Artist unknown
Kapkap
20th century
View Larger Image

View Full Catalog Record Below

This image is one of over 108,000 from the AMICA Library (formerly The Art Museum Image Consortium Library- The AMICO Library™), a growing online collection of high-quality, digital art images from over 20 museums around the world. www.davidrumsey.com/amica offers subscriptions to this collection, the finest art image database available on the internet. EVERY image has full curatorial text and can be studied in depth by zooming into the smallest details from within the Image Workspace.

Preview the AMICA Library™ Public Collection in Luna Browser Now

Cultures and time periods represented range from contemporary art, to ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian works.
Types of works include paintings, drawings, watercolors, sculptures, costumes, jewelry, furniture, prints, photographs, textiles, decorative art, books and manuscripts.

Gain access to this incredible resource through either a monthly or a yearly subscription and search the entire collection from your desktop, compare multiple images side by side and zoom into the minute details of the images. Visit www.davidrumsey.com/amica for more information on the collection, click on the link below the revolving thumbnail to the right, or email us at amica@luna-img.com .

Creator Name: Unknown
Creator Nationality: Asian; Pacific; Melanesian; Solomon
Creator Role: Artist
Creator Name-CRT: Artist unknown
Title: Kapkap
View: front
Creation Start Date: 1900
Creation End Date: 1999
Creation Date: 20th century
Creation Place: Oceania
Object Type: Costume and Jewelry
Materials and Techniques: clam shell, tortoise shell, cord, beads
Dimensions: H.3/8 x Dia.6 in. (without cord)
AMICA Contributor: The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Owner Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
ID Number: 99.4
Credit Line: The Walter R. Bollinger Fund
Rights: http://www.artsmia.org/restrictions.html
Context:

The kapkap is the most important chest ornament worn by initiated men in the Solomon Islands. The white disk is cut from the shell of the tridacna, a large sea clam, and the inner disk is carved from a tortoise shell. Shells of many types were prized and often traded as money. Tortoiseshell had to be boiled to make it soft enough to carve. The more complicated and delicate the decoration, the greater the kapkap's value.

In general, the kapkap's size and quality indicated the wearer's social status. The prestige of this exceptionally large and detailed example is enhanced by the precious shell beads strung on the cord attaching the tortoiseshell disk to the white shell body.

AMICA ID: MIA_.99.4
Component Measured: overall
Measurement Unit: in
AMICA Library Year: 2001
Media Metadata Rights: ?The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

AMICA PUBLIC RIGHTS: a) Access to the materials is granted for personal and non-commercial use. b) A full educational license for non-commercial use is available from Cartography Associates at www.davidrumsey.com/amica/institution_subscribe.html c) Licensed users may continue their examination of additional materials provided by Cartography Associates, and d) commercial rights are available from the rights holder.