Joe Talirunili’s favourite subjects by far were owls; his most famous works are his Migration Boats. He also carved numerous standing figures of men carrying their hunting weapons and women holding ulus and other implements. However, we are not aware of another portrait head. This fine sculpture might indeed be unique in the artist’s oeuvre. We cannot say with certainty whether this is a self-portrait or the portrait of a friend or relative. Portrait photos of Talirunili himself suggest that his face was relatively plump; on the other hand, this Portrait Head suggests that the subject was fairly young. The work is beautifully carved and finished – even the teeth are carefully rendered – and we therefore suggest a date of c. 1965. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this sculpture, aside from the distinctiveness and clarity of its facial features, is its impressive, nearly life-size scale. In terms of relative size, it is the largest-scale sculpture that Joe ever produced!