Showing 145–156 of 180 results
This fine rare Ming/Qing carving depicts Shakyamuni Buddha in meditation is made from fine dense wood with much of its iridescent pigmentation. He is masterfully carved with a serene, benevolent and pensive expression wearing plain but elegantly carved monks robes. This spiritual piece is a small yet very powerful image.
One of the most popular Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism depictions of Guanyin, especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties, is Nanhai Guanyin shown here symbolically on a stylized rocky outcrop at her cave at Putuo in meditation (dhyana), legs in padmasana under her robes, flanked by twisted columns one topped by a vial placed on…
This Queen Mother of the West, the highest ranking female Taoist deity was probably displayed as a pair along a statue of Guanyin, the most significant Buddhism female (Guanyin on a Lotus Pedestal (16206B) highlighting the importance and similarity of these revered female images Like the Guanyin, the Queen Mother’s delicately carved face has half closed eyes, serene composure mouth with a hint of a smile, which is more Buddhist than Taoist. Her headdress, centered by her iconic phoenix, rests under a hood extending to her shoulders and back. She wears a high collared three-layered Taoist robe, her hands covered by a ritual cloth.
This exquisite 18th-century statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin is seated in serene meditation. She is a beautiful young woman, unpretentious yet elegant with smooth, gentle flowing lines that create an air of peaceful spirituality. Every strand of her hair and bun is carved with definition, and in perfect order. The original polychrome and lacquer finish has transformed into a glowing silver hue with a soft patina.
Most jauk keras (strong, scary) masks of a giant are often red or orange to reinforce a volatile dance with jerky movements. This jauk manis (good, sweet) mask dance is a more controlled, regulated and enacted with more calm and human movements. Personally collected in Bali in the 1970s, it is in excellent condition with expected minor scratches and paint losses.
This mid 20th century Buddha Shakyamuni in Earth Witnessing position is carved in rural Lao style. Covered with gilt, the small rustic and simply carved image follows Lao artistic canons for depicting a Buddha: a curved hairline and high arched eyebrows that meet at the bridge of the nose, distinct hair curls, long ears, and a flame-shaped radiance emerging from his ushnisha. Its very large base is as tall and wide as the image, reflecting Laotian beliefs that a high pedestal reflects a deep respect for the Buddha. A base has been added for display purposes. Authentic old Lao images, even small personal ones like this, are difficult to find.
Influenced by Islam for centuries, Javanese theater in Indonesia is stylized, didactic and full of central characters said to be cultural and historic icons of morality. Mask drama theater (Topeng Wayang) in Java is dominated by the conservative central Javanese palace courts (kraton) of Surakarta, Solo and Jogjakarta (Yogyakarta) which have long supported mask makers,…
This outstanding delicately antique carving is Nanhai Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, seated on a rocky outcrop covered with a cloth, a reference to her home in a cave on the island of Putuo in the South China Sea. Other than the Buddha, she is the most revered deity in Mahayana Buddhism and one of…
Xiwangmu is the most important and first female deity in the Taoist pantheon, identified by a single phoenix in her headdress. This unique antique carving is a puppet head or an attachment to a larger figure where her headdress has three phoenixes instead of her iconic single phoenix. Beautifully carved with a rich patina, it is mounted on a lucite stand.
This rare, vintage spirit mask is from Timor in Indonesia. Their animism is characterized by ritual exchanges between individuals or social groups with ancestral and fertility spirits having a close reciprocal link between the deceased and the secular world as ancestors require sustenance, respect and attention (i.e. offerings), while humans seek advice, good fortune, health…
This delightful doll mounted on a frosted acrylic stand is dressed as a bearded official wearing a traditional ‘spread-wing” official’s hat. Originally mounted on a wood stick seen under his attire, he wears a dark blue and gold robe with a loose black, red and silver official’s belt and boots. Although dressed as a Chinese official, he is clearly an entertainer. He holds a set of paper clappers (Kuaiban)– meaning “fast boards,” a two-millennia old Chinese castanets-like instrument made of bamboo or wood slats tied together which entertainers rattle, shake, or clap together to produce a complementary sound or beat. This piece is in excellent condition with expected signs of wear and use in the clothing and minor paint losses.
This rare vintage carving was probably made for a home shrine or small rice field temple dedicated to Dewi Sri, the Balinese Goddess of Rice. The hole near the bottom indicates it may have been part of a larger decorative scheme.
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