Vintage Balinese Hand-Carved & Painted Barong Monkey Wood Wall Mask

Details

Description

An expressive vintage Balinese monkey mask, hand carved from wood and individually painted in a warm palette of natural tan, … Read more An expressive vintage Balinese monkey mask, hand carved from wood and individually painted in a warm palette of natural tan, black, red and gold.

Deep sculptural carving gives the mask remarkable dimension, with dramatically projecting eyes, an open mouth with carved teeth and fangs, exaggerated pointed ears and detailed linear decoration across the face.

Especially attractive are the two separate carved wooden pendant ear ornaments, which remain fitted through the large openings at either side of the mask. Similar Balinese masks are found with variations in color and decoration, reflecting their individually carved and painted construction.

Produced in Bali as decorative folk art for the international and tourist market, the design draws upon traditional Balinese mask and Barong imagery without being attributed here to a specific ceremonial character.

The naturally aged surface, hand-painted irregularities and areas of finish loss give this example considerably more character than a newly made decorative mask.

An impactful piece for a collected gallery wall, study or globally inspired interior.

Condition: Good vintage condition with surface wear, finish variation, rubbing and paint loss consistent with age. Both carved wooden ear ornaments are present. Please see photographs for detailed condition.

Origin: Bali, Indonesia
Period: Late 20th century
Materials: Hand-carved and hand-painted wood
Style: Balinese / Indonesian folk art
Subject: Barong-style monkey See less