Large Javanese Loro Blonyo Couple – Central Java, c. 1930 – Lot 754

Two figures conceived as a single household image

This Central Javanese Loro Blonyo ensemble consists of a male and female figure made to stand together. Their meaning lies precisely in that pairing. Within Javanese culture, Loro Blonyo couples are associated with marriage, fertility, prosperity and equilibrium within the home rather than with Buddhist iconography.

The scale is notable: the male reaches 102.5 cm and the female 99 cm. Their narrow vertical proportions make them easy to place as a pair while still giving the ensemble the presence of much larger sculpture. Both are carved in wood and retain an aged polychrome surface.

From court tradition to domestic setting

Loro Blonyo imagery developed in the cultural orbit of the Central Javanese courts and became a recognised feature of elite and later domestic interiors. These examples date to approximately 1930, a period in which the traditional paired format was still actively produced and used.

Catalogue record

• Origin: Central Java, Indonesia
• Date: c. 1930
• Material: polychrome-painted wood
• Male: H 102.5 × W 16 cm
• Female: H 99 × W 14 cm
• Combined weight: 12.6 kg
• Mudra: not applicable

The pair shows age and handling wear consistent with an older painted-wood ensemble. They are offered together and should be read visually and culturally as one object.

Each object is examined before it is offered: material, casting or carving technique, surface, and signs of age are compared with documented references. You will receive a certificate of authenticity and an official invoice detailing the period, material, and available provenance.

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