Small Balinese Limestone Frog Sculpture, 2000s

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Small Balinese limestone frog sculpture in the shape of a drum. Authentic small local sculpture, found in Bali in a … Read more Small Balinese limestone frog sculpture in the shape of a drum. Authentic small local sculpture, found in Bali in a large outdoor garden. The surface is weathered by the elements, with a natural patina, and contains traces of soil, lichen, and other natural elements. Dimensions of the frog: Height: 16 cm; Width: 9 cm; Depth: 9 cm; Weight: 0.93 kg. Stone sculptures play a significant role in Balinese daily life and spirituality. They are often found in domestic gardens, courtyards, or water temples. They are generally carved from light-colored volcanic limestone, which quickly becomes covered in moss and lichen in the tropical climate—an aesthetically desirable evolution that integrates the sculpture into a living, organic cycle. Formally, several types of sculptures exist, such as crouching gardens, divine or semi-divine figures, ornamental motifs, or elements related to water. Frogs are very strongly linked to water, rice paddies, and the rainy seasons. In Bali, where the entire agricultural system relies on water management via subak (irrigation networks), the frog is a symbol of fertility, abundance, and regeneration. It is naturally found in gardens, near ponds, or in temples associated with water. It is an extension of life, an echo of the soundscape and the humid environment. It acts as an element of continuity in a Balinese garden where the aim is to maintain a balance between the built and the natural. The small frogs work perfectly in low, horizontal compositions, near ponds or thresholds, creating a gentle visual presence without monumentality. This sculpture is part of a collection of musical frogs, each one different. See less