Important Collection of Antique Asian Arms
Lot 50:
In Bali, especially fine keris were sometimes displayed in holders carved in theshape of a person, an animal, or a mythological figure. Elaborate kris holders like this examplewould have been found only in wealthy and aristocratic homes. Wooden kris holders inparticular serve as important examples of the tradition of Indonesian woodcarving. Wooden krisholders range from intricately carved and painted wall plaques to freestanding statues thatpossess slots in their backs or hands into which a kris is fitted. Carved in elaborate and stylizedforms, these items are decorated with vibrant colored paints, semiprecious gems or gold, and, like the kris, range in style and form depending on their place of origin within Indonesia.In all their varying forms, traditional kris holders exhibit a variety of influences from the Pre-Hindu and Indo-Javanese periods. Balinese kris holders, in particular offer the greatest examplesof Indonesian cultural development while incorporating a uniquely Balinese style. One reasonfor this includes the lack of an Islamic presence on the island of Bali. After the influx of Islaminto Indonesia after the eleventh century, Indonesian art absorbed Islamic ideas in addition tothose of Buddhism and Hinduism. The art styles with strong Hindu influences that arose duringthe Majapahit period gradually disappeared as Indonesian rulers began to request art with moreIslamic influence (Castillo 2009). As a result on Java, keris holders do not take a figural formand are instead plainer, almost furniture like in their construction, while those from Bali continueto be made in figural representations of a wide variety.This example in the Schmiedt Collection is a fine example of classical form and appears torepresent Rawana. The figure is carved from a single piece of wood and decorated inpolychrome and gold paint. Rawana is shown with long, black curly hair and bulging eyes.Rawaá¹â€&iexc l;a (known as Ravana in India) is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where he is depicted as the warrior demon king of Lanka (now Sri Lanka). The Ramayana hashad great influence on traditional culture across Southeast Asia, and especially on Bali whichremained a Hindu society after much of the rest of the Indonesian archipelago converted toIslam. The carving is very well modeled and retains much of its polychrome paint. There aresome small damages due to age but otherwise in very fine condition.Dates to the early 20th century.Height : 21 1/4"References:1. Frey. E. (1988) The Kris: Mystic Weapons of the Malay World. Oxford UniversityPress2. Castillo, C. (2009) PROTECTIVE ART OF INDONESIA BALINESE KRISHOLDERS FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE BERMAN MUSEUM OFWORLD HISTORY. Dissertation. University of Alabama Detailed condition reports are not included in this catalog. For additional information, including condition reports, please contact us at [email protected]
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