Large painted ceremonial bark panel – Melanesia (Papua New Guinea region), 20th century Impressive vertical ceremonial panel made from natural tree bark, decorated with stylised anthropomorphic figures arranged in a vertical composition. The surface is painted with mineral and earth pigments in black, white and ochre, featuring curved linear motifs and dotted elements characteristic of Melanesian bark art. The reverse clearly shows the fibrous structure and natural texture of bark, with visible age-related splitting and delamination consistent with traditional bark preparation techniques. Such panels were typically intended for architectural or ceremonial display (e.g. men’s houses, spirit houses or ritual structures), rather than as wearable objects. Material: Natural tree bark with mineral/earth pigments Origin: Melanesia, Papua New Guinea region (stylistic attribution) Date: 20th century Condition: • Structurally stable overall • Pronounced age-related vertical splits and fissures inherent to bark • Losses and abrasions to pigment • Edge wear and natural fibre exposure • No modern restoration detected Condition is fully consistent with age, material, and traditional use. Above is a description made by Chatgpt.