Vintage Panel of a Female Farmer with a Hoe, Myanmar/Burma (T052C-BLE)

Description

Farming and raising domestic animals has long been central to the economic welfare of Burmese peasants and women have forever been involved in those activities which demanded strenuous work. Despite this, women have rarely seen themselves as farmers in the past because of a long-held patriarchal culture, Burmese law, and long-held social limitations of a rural culture that considers them only as workers laboring for men: their father, brother, or husband. The enthusiasm the Burmese have for celebrating and honoring their past arts can be seen in vintage pieces produced in the last 4-5 decades. Woodcarvers are so intensely observant and gifted they are able to reproduce antique-looking patinas and partially applied old painted surface effects making inexperienced buyers believe pieces they like are genuine antiques. This panel was likely made using old wood with insect-bored holes, some damage, and old nail holes as if it were antique and detached from a wall. Although well-conceived “modern folk antiques” like this are very beautiful, charming, and striking creations that exhibit the skills and creative imagination of the folk-art artist producing a piece worthy of a more than reasonable price, it is, on the other hand, many are represented and sold as a genuine antiquea with an early date and an inflated price, which is not the case here.