Lot 197A
Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Bali, ca. 19th century CE. A spirited pair of Balinese wood finials carved in the form of dragon heads, their forms alive with mythic energy and color. Each is fashioned from a single piece of wood, painted in layers of red, black, cream, and green pigments that accentuate their fierce expressions and intricate feathered crests. The dragons, their jaws open in mid-snarl, bare sharp teeth and curling tongues, while bulging eyes and flaring nostrils lend an air of divine ferocity. Elaborate plumed manes rise like flames from their crowns, evoking the sacred naga - the serpentine guardians of water and fertility in Balinese and wider Hindu-Buddhist cosmology. Such finials likely adorned temple or ceremonial structures, embodying both protection and auspiciousness. Size (both the same): 5.7" L x 2.2" W x 13.3" H (14.5 cm x 5.6 cm x 33.8 cm); 14.3" H (36.3 cm) on included custom stand.
In Balinese tradition, dragons and nagas serve as intermediaries between earthly and spiritual realms, their presence invoking prosperity and warding off malevolent forces. The carving displays the hallmarks of 19th century temple craftsmanship - deep incisions, rhythmic symmetry, and the balance of terror and beauty that characterizes sacred Balinese art. Mounted on custom wooden bases, the pair stands as a vivid testament to the island's devotional artistry, where architecture, myth, and sculpture merge into a single act of reverence and imagination.
Provenance: private Wichita, Kansas, USA collection
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#198912
- Condition: One is missing ear, other is missing tip of one spike, and both are missing one earring. Both have had some parts professionally reattached or repaired. Chips, nicks, and abrasions as shown. Nice remaining detail and liberal remaining pigments.
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