Vintage Balinese Dewa Figure in Carved Hardwood with Gilt Traces – 20th Century

A standing dewa from Bali

Carved from a single block of tropical hardwood, this standing Balinese figure wears a tall crown with flaring floral side wings and a smooth oval finial. The face is calm, with almond-shaped eyes, a faint smile and a red urna on the forehead. One hand holds a round vessel or lotus bud against the hip; the other hangs loosely at the side, a bangle at the wrist.

The figure represents a dewa, a male deity or temple figure from Bali. The photographs do not support a firmer identification, so we do not give it a specific name.

Carving and gilding

A broad scalloped collar sits across the shoulders of the bare torso. Below a carved belt, the long sarong is densely patterned and finishes in a decorated hem above a scrolled base. Old gilding survives in the recesses of the crown, collar, belt and hem, and there is red pigment on the forehead and lips. Turn the figure around and a ribbed plait of hair or sash narrows into a V below the layered back of the crown.

Condition

The surface is dry and shows its use. A crack runs through the dome of the crown and continues into the pin; the end grain of the underside has drying cracks. On the raised areas the gilding has worn away. The shoulder collar has several small round holes, and the edge of the base has minor losses. Body and hands are otherwise intact, without modern overpaint. Carving and wear place the piece in the 20th century: a vintage Balinese carving rather than a 19th-century antique.

Object details

• Origin: Bali, Indonesia
• Subject: standing dewa figure
• Date: 20th century, circa first half to mid-20th century
• Material: hand-carved tropical hardwood with traces of gilding and red pigment
• Height × width: 47 × 9.5 cm
• Statue weight: 1.2 kg
• SKU: 838

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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