Large 8.5" Mid-Century Balinese Teak Cockfighter With Tripple-Rooster Openwork Cage Masterwork

Details

Description

An extraordinary, highly complex mid-century Balinese expressionist realism genre sculpture depicting a traditional rooster breeder or cockfighter (Sabung). Hand-carved from … Read more An extraordinary, highly complex mid-century Balinese expressionist realism genre sculpture depicting a traditional rooster breeder or cockfighter (Sabung). Hand-carved from a single, substantial block of premium solid Teak wood, this unsigned masterwork showcases an incredible pinnacle of three-dimensional negative space, deep-relief execution, and fine-grain texturing.
The centerpiece of this sculpture is a magnificent, double-layered architectural composition. The master artisan intricately hollowed out a large, central bamboo-style rooster basket (Kisa) to form a pristine, entirely hollow geometric openwork lattice cage. Remarkably, the hidden interior space features a fully carved miniature chicken standing entirely loose upon the floor of the cage, while a proud, highly detailed prize rooster sits perched triumphantly atop the basket's upper rim.
Alongside the cage, a village elder crouches in deep concentration, his weathered facial features displaying magnificent artisan detail. He wears an intricately wrapped traditional headcloth (Udeng) and a lower sarong waist wrap while holding a traditional leaf scoop container. The natural old-growth timber grain is phenomenal, displaying a rich, deep-toned caramel and honey palette with broad, sweeping wave tracking across his sinewy back. It remains in flawless vintage condition, entirely complete with all impossibly thin lattice strands, comb points, and feathers 100% intact.

Art Movement: Balinese Modernist Realism / Mid-Century Master Genre Style

Region of Origin: Mas, Ubud District, Bali, Indonesia

Artist: Unsigned Artisan Master

Material: Selected Highly Figured Solid Teak Wood (Kayu Jati)

Condition: Flawless vintage condition; structural integrity is perfectly preserved with zero chips, splits, checking, or repairs; all delicate lattice basket strands are pristine.

Dimensions
Height: 8 1/2 inches
Width: 8 1/2 inches
Depth: 6 inches

Estimated Era
Circa 1950s–1960s (The Golden Post-War Renaissance)The substantial, blocky volume of the base platform combined with the intense, deep-pierced double-carving layout of the hollow cage completely isolates this work to the golden age of the post-war export market. This was an era when master craftsmen poured immense time into complex, deeply chiseled individual figures intended for elite international galleries. See less