Late 20th-Century Balinese Modernist Legong Dancer – 10-Inch Wood Carving

Details

Description

A very fine, beautifully preserved late 20th-century Balinese modernist wood carving depicting an elongated, elegant figure of a traditional solo … Read more A very fine, beautifully preserved late 20th-century Balinese modernist wood carving depicting an elongated, elegant figure of a traditional solo female Legong Fan Dancer (Penari Legong) captured gracefully mid-performance [user, Other Claims]. Measuring 10 inches tall with a 2¾-inch width and an expansive 7½-inch depth profile, this standalone sculpture is chiseled from a single, exceptionally dense block of premium tropical Suar wood, exhibiting a rich, uniform golden-caramel heartwood complexion that highlights the natural grain lines wrapping her form.
The dancer is captured in a dynamic, highly expressive crouching posture, with her torso twisted into a dramatic, sweeping contour as she balances an open, intricately carved ceremonial fan across her knee. Her left arm projects upward in a classic dramatic dance mudra, showing clean lines that frame her stylized headdress. The head features an extraordinary, wide semi-circular petitis floral crown detailed with clean high-relief geometric petals, flowing smoothly into long, micro-incised strands of hair that cascade down her lower spine on the reverse profile. Unsigned as is characteristic of modern Balinese studio carvings, the wood cells have been hand-conditioned to a beautiful, glass-smooth liquid-satin finish that pops vibrantly under gallery spotlights. Standing with superb vertical stability on its custom-contoured base, this heirloom-grade piece features a single, masterfully stabilized micro-fracture along one finger that has been completely sealed via capillary action, perfectly matching the surrounding wood cells to appear merely as a natural dark mineral line. An elegant centerpiece that lends a striking modernist energy to any high-end mantle, bookshelf, or contemporary interior vignette.

Physical Dimensions

• Height: 10 Inches
• Width: 2 ¾ Inches
• Depth: 7 ½ Inches

Condition Report

Excellent Vintage Condition. This exceptional 10-inch contemporary sculpture stands in structural gallery condition, having been meticulously hand-conditioned and stabilized on the workbench. The premium tropical Suar wood cells are entirely stable and unified, showing an exquisite satin luster. A forensic visual inspection reveals only the most minor localized structural touch: a microscopic, expertly executed sub-surface reinforcement on a raised finger where a native grain line check began to separate. The repair was performed using thinned hide glue via deep capillary action; it is completely secure, visually seamless, and runs perfectly flush with the wood rings to appear entirely as a natural dark mineral vein. The sculpture remains completely structurally ironclad, standing with perfect vertical stability on its hand-gouged base, and is entirely free of any open cracks, missing elements, or chips. See less