Polychrome wooden bas-reliefs, Indonesia, 19th century

Description

Polychrome wooden bas-reliefs, Indonesia, 19th century
A pair of hand-carved and polychrome wooden figures from Bali, Indonesia.
An exceptionally decorative example of traditional Balinese art. Both figures are depicted in distinctive, richly embellished garments and tall, intricate headdresses. The figures are characterised by intricate openwork structures and decorative finials at the bottom.
The pieces were entirely handmade from wood and covered with multicoloured polychromy. The preserved surface bears clear signs of the passage of time: natural cracks, abrasions, areas where the paint has aged, and a refined, subdued patina. These signs are characteristic of old objects of this type and emphasise their authentic character.

Origin and dating
Bali, Indonesia
circa 1890–1920,
most likely from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The original function of such objects cannot always be determined with certainty. Balinese wooden sculptures may have served religious or decorative purposes, or formed part of the furnishings of important buildings and ceremonial sites.
Material: wood, hand-carved and polychromed

Condition: preserved in a condition consistent with its age; visible natural cracks in the wood, abrasions, losses and signs of wear to the polychromy. The objects bear authentic signs of the passage of time and have not been excessively restored by me.