Early Sculptured Wooden Balinese Temple Guards

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Early Sculptured Wooden Balinese Temple Guards

About the Item

SPECIAL SPRING SALE! BIG DISCOUNT! Couple of early antique sculptured wooden balinese temple guards. Bali: Heaven on earth, island of gods and demons takes its name from the many Hindu temples this beautiful island is covered with. These fantastically mysterious rare stunning temple wardens each sculptured from one log have been saved from the demolition of an antique Hindu temple, the temple of Batubalan. Such temple wardens have to look ugly to ward off evil / the many demons these temples were haunted with. So here is your unique chance to employ a couple of demon hunters. They are known for their desire for snakes. As the sex of these temple wardens could be told from their collars (headword Garuda!) - it is clear that the one is male and the other female -we immediately thought about the Greek myth of Philemon & Baucis from "Ovid's Metamorphoses"; How a poor old couple from the land of Phrygia showed hospitality toward the gods and was rewarded. According to Greek myth, the gods Zeus, supreme god and his son Hermes took on human form to have a stroll and visited earth disguised as poor travelers. When they reached Phrygia, they looked for shelter but were turned away by everyone except Philemon and his wife, Baucis. The poor old couple gladly shared their small amount of food and wine with the strangers. Philemon & Baucis realized that their guests were gods after noticing that the wine never ran out and that their poor wine was replaced by wine of the finest quality. Zeus and Hermes led the couple to a hill above Phrygia and sent a flood to destroy the land to punish the people who had turned them away. Only the old couple's house remained undamaged. Zeus made the house a temple to the gods and awarded Philemon & Baucis two wishes: to serve as priest and priestess of the temple and, when the time came, to die together. Many years later, when the moment of their deaths came, Philemon & Baucis were transformed into trees with intertwined branches. (source Ovid's Metamorphoses / Myth encyclopedia). Wouldn't it yet be tempting to assume that the seeds of their trees had flown with the winds to the island of gods Bali to take root on this island where the logs hundreds of years later served as the basematerial for the present antique sculptured templewardens ? Is this what real love is all about: living on through seedlings ? Please note the gold paint of the temple wardens has become a little weather -beaten. To keep it's art-historical authenticity we do not advise a lick of fresh paint; however, should you prefer this we will gladly consider this done complimentary. In this case please allow an extra fourtnight for shipping. Provenance: nobleman's collection / temple of Batubalan Bali. The specified dimensions are per temple guard, and identicative. For exact numbers please contact Monumenta Historica. Are you also interested in other interesting Asian antiques from this nobleman's collection please see our special offers under table lamps!

Dimensions:
Height: 19.69 in (50 cm)Width: 13 in (33 cm)Depth: 17.72 in (45 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Folk Art (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Wood,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
Bali
Period:
Late 18th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Late 18th Century
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. The gold paint of the temple wardens has become a little weather-beaten.
Seller Location:
Werkendam, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU101583124502