Showing 253–264 of 278 results
This hand made vintage Ethiopian Cross is typical of the intricate and beautiful crosses associated with Coptic tradition of Christianity in Ethiopia which combined different cultural traditions, and religious and talismanic motifs. Old Coptic crosses often included a circle, as here with a circular shape on top enclosing an etched circular design and a cut…
No other region has produced the quantity, quality, and diversity as the Christian-cross from the Ethiopian-Highlands in Africa, an area renowned for having accepted Christianity early in its history and its unique African art and metalwork. This vintage Ethiopian cross variant of a Coptic cross and is often referred to as an Axum Cross name…
The etched circular section at the top of this cross spiritually represents eternity and Christ’s halo, his infinite love and resurrection. A circle is also an apotropaic symbol of the “protective eye” that brings personal blessings to the wearer and deflects misfortune. The bottom section is a tri-partite design depicting the Trinity. The four birds…
This vintage Ethiopian Cross from the Northern Ethiopian Highlands of Africa is a variant of a Coptic cross referred to as an Axum Cross where it was crafted. As the most popular pendant Ethiopian cross it is embellished with religious and apotropaic symbols. This one has a circle on top with pierced cutouts and an…
This vintage Ethiopian Cross from the Northern Ethiopian Highlands in Africa is a variant of a Coptic cross referred to as an Axum Cross where it was crafted. As the most popular form of cross, they are embellished with religious and apotropaic symbols. The top triangle with pierced cutouts represents the Trinity. Each of the…
No other region has produced the quantity, quality and diversity as the Christian cross images from the Ethiopian Highlands, a region renowned for having accepted Christianity early in its history as well as for its fine African art and metalwork. This Coptic cross features stylized birds that transform the simple cross into a tree representing…
This very fine and very beautiful vintage woodcarving of Dewi Sri , Devi Sri or Sridevi in Java, the Balinese Hindu goddess of rice and prosperity, is in excellent condition considering it is a much used vintage piece. Personally collected in Bali in the 1970s, it reflects the offerings made to Dewi Sri placed in the rice fields to protect the rice harvest. She is depicted here as a young, attractive and fertile woman wearing a striking, highly detailed and decorative headdress similar to those worn in Balinese dances leaving her upper forehead bare and framing her oval face with high curved eyebrows, wide-open eyes and beautiful pursed lips. With its flat back it can be mounted on a wall.
Ibeji carvings from Nigeria are idealized folk art conforming to Yoruba artistic and cultural conventions without closely reflecting human likenesses. Symmetrical and restrained with oversized elongated heads where one’s spirit, intelligence and the seat of divine power lie, they often have detailed linear coiffures that can be a third or more of the figure’s body…
Javanese Wayang (puppet theater) Topeng (literally “pressed against the face” or mask) is a very refined dance form accompanied by gamelan music. In Bali Topeng tua is the charming dance of an old courtier’s fragile movements, his lack of control and his gathering energy for a short lively dance. He sits behind a cloth curtain,…
This ethnic and folk-art Bali legendary court minister (topeng patih) is performed in a special mask dance named Topeng Panjegan, as only one dancer interprets five different characters wearing full face masks preventing speech. Patih manis (Sweet Minister) is often the first solo dance after a gamelan orchestra introduction, and this patih keras (strong minister)…
All ethnic mask (topeng) dances in Bali are accompanied with music from a gamelan percussion orchestra as are dramas and other entertainments considered as offerings to honor, please and attract the favor of the gods and ancestral spirits. In the west dancers put on masks to pretend they are someone else. Balinese dancers become the…
Wearing a full mask of an ideal high-born Hindu king (dalem), dancers from Bali perform folk-art and ethnic-art dances without speech using only body language, gestures and movements to depict the mask’s character. Made from light and color-enhancing, easy to carve and durable pulai wood, Balinese-masks (topeng) honor and attract the favor of gods and…
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