Item Specifics
Brand: Artisan Handcrafted
Type: Wall Mask Plaque
Material: Solid Tropical Hardwood Suar Teak Bone Glass
Era/Year: Mid to Late 20th Century 1960s to 1980s
Dimensions: 11” H x 8.5" W x 4.5" D
Origin: Bali Indonesia
Model/Pattern #: Topeng Matriarch with Guardian Crest
Very good mid-century condition with a rich, natural patina. This substantial, solid wood carving weighs between 4 and 5 pounds, indicating high-quality tropical hardwood. The wood displays normal age-related wear, including light surface scratches and minor scuffs along the high points of the intricately carved floral headdress and the comb-like fringe at the base. There are no major structural cracks, breaks, or visible wood repairs. The inset glass eyes are fully intact and securely set. The reverse side features original hand-carving tool marks and natural wood grain. A sawtooth hanger is firmly attached to the back hollow for immediate wall display.
This exceptional, heavy Balinese wooden wall mask portrays a revered elder woman or matriarch figure, a subject deeply rooted in traditional Topeng (mask) dance mythology. In Balinese culture, elder figures represent profound wisdom, ancestral guidance, and grounding earthly knowledge. The master artisan has captured her serene yet highly expressive face with remarkable ethnographic detail, utilizing downcast, lifelike inset eyes and deep, realistic age lines to convey quiet authority and a lifetime of lived experience. Crowning her ornate floral headdress is a carved representation of Bhoma, a primordial earth deity and guardian spirit. Placed at the highest point of the carving, the Bhoma serves as a spiritual filter to ward off evil and protect the space, making this mask not merely a beautiful portrait, but a protective talisman. Carved from a massive block of hardwood, this mid-century piece exemplifies elite Southeast Asian woodcraft and offers a commanding presence for collectors of fine ethnographic art.
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