20th C. Standing “Moai Kavakava” Etching by Rapa Nui Artist Ricardo Candiani Rare limited edition pencil signed etching by Rapa Nui (Easter Island) artist Ricardo Candiani. Plate dimensions 7″ x 9.25″. The paper measures 10″ x 14″. Pencil signed, titled and numbered by the artist. From a very limited edition of 25. A mo‘ai kavakava is a small wooden figure of a style originated by the Rapa Nui culture of Easter Island. Each figure resembles a standing, slightly stooped, male human with an emaciated body. The name mo‘ai kavakava is formed from mo‘ai for the monumental monolithic human figures found on Easter Island and the word kavakava meaning ribs. These mysterious objects have long beguiled collectors and baffled experts. Little is known about the cultural context of these figures although they are generally considered to be representations ancestors. By the 1900s these figures had started to attract the interest of the European avant-garde Many important Surrealist artists collected Easter Island art and they placed it at the centre of their artistic practice. German Expressionist Max Ernst was inspired by these figures and their rituals. The figures can also be found in the collections of the French surrealist André Breton. This is a fine opportunity to acquire a rare limited edition Rapa Nui etching. Works by Ricardo Candiani be found in museums and exhibitions throughout Polynesia. Rapa Nui is at the extreme Western edge of Polynesia and is the most remote inhabited place on earth. Very good condition. Comes unframed.