Mid-Century Balinese Art Deco Seated Fisherman With Cast Net Sculpture

Details

Description

An exceptional, highly expressive mid-century Balinese modernist genre realism sculpture depicting a traditional fisherman. Standing 9 1/2 inches tall, this … Read more An exceptional, highly expressive mid-century Balinese modernist genre realism sculpture depicting a traditional fisherman. Standing 9 1/2 inches tall, this elegant piece represents a definitive example of the post-war Indonesian woodcarving renaissance, showcasing a beautiful blend of everyday village narratives and clean, mid-century modern design aesthetics.
The figure is hand-carved from a single solid block of premium, honey-toned tropical Satinwood. The elder fisherman is captured in a dynamic, counter-balanced crouching stance upon an integrated organic base, wearing a traditional wide-brimmed conical sun hat (Caping). His focused facial features and weathered expression show magnificent artisan detail, complemented by the fine, hand-chiseled vertical ridges and mesh textures of the traditional cast net he handles between his hands. The smooth contours of his slender torso and limbs flow effortlessly into the base, displaying pristine tool facets and an incredibly smooth grain configuration. Unsigned as was standard for many gallery-tier export works of the golden renaissance, this showcase piece is in immaculate vintage condition, entirely complete with no chips, structural splits, checks, or repairs.

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

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

Artist: Unsigned Artisan Master

Material: Selected Solid Premium Hardwood (Satinwood / Light Suar Variant)

Condition: Flawless vintage condition; structural integrity is perfectly preserved with zero chips, splits, or checking; beautifully smooth surface texture primed for oiling to unlock its rich golden-honey luster.

Dimensions
Height: 9 1/2 inches
Width: 4 inches
Depth: 2 1/2 inches

Estimated Era
Circa 1950s–1960s (The Golden Post-War Renaissance)
The heavy focus on elevated everyday village labor combined with the clean, smooth surface finish and fluid anatomical modeling perfectly isolates this piece to the high-caliber workmanship of the post-war Balinese carving boom. See less