Monumental Mid-Century Balinese Modernist Teakwood Goddess Sita Bust

Details

Description

Category:
Abstract Figurative and Fashion

Estimated Era:
Mid-20th Century (Circa 1950s - 1960s)

Materials:
Solid Old-Growth Seasoned Balinese Teakwood

Condition:
… Read more Category:
Abstract Figurative and Fashion

Estimated Era:
Mid-20th Century (Circa 1950s - 1960s)

Materials:
Solid Old-Growth Seasoned Balinese Teakwood

Condition:
Pristine (Excellent overall vintage condition. The heavy, solid wood structure is entirely free of any modern drying checks, splits, or structural cracks. The face features beautiful, authentic ancient insect tracking marks preserved by the master carver, and the lower base waves display an intentional, smooth natural wood termination tip that is completely original to the piece's creation.)

Dimensions:
Height: 18.5 in. | Width: 6.5 in. | Depth: 4.5 in.

Item Description:
An absolute tour de force of mid-century Balinese narrative sculpture, this monumental 18.5-inch solid hardwood bust is an exemplary masterpiece of intricate character carving. Originating from the elite post-war artisan cooperatives of Mas Village (circa 1950s–1960s), this dynamic sculpture portrays a deeply soulful, elegant rendering of the goddess Sita rising through cascading ocean waves, beautifully adorned in an extraordinarily detailed, multi-tiered openwork royal spired crown and traditional filigree ornamentation.

The work represents an absolute triumph of composition and spatial layout. Masterfully hand-chiseled from a single, exceptionally dense cross-section of old-growth Balinese Teakwood, the sculpture displays an incredibly rich, warm golden-caramel coloration with intricate natural grain rings mapping her facial profiles and slender neck contours. The master carver has achieved a breathtaking level of visual texture, deeply undercutting the intricate, flaming scrollwork wings of her crown architecture to create a striking play of shadows that contrasts flawlessly against the smooth, highly polished, and serene planes of her meditative closed eyes and lip lines.
Reflecting its authentic, wild forest origin, the portrait features beautifully integrated, historic insect-boring witness marks along the right cheek and a smooth, completely original, natural wood termination on a lower base wave's tip—both meticulously smoothed, seasoned, and lacquered over by the artisan during the initial carving process to preserve the organic integrity of the timber. Sourced from a prominent private estate collection and beautifully preserved with a deep, fully hydrated satin luster, this definitive, museum-grade centerpiece commands immense visual authority for luxury mid-century residential entries, advanced ethnographic art collections, or elite architectural design staging. See less