{"product_id":"antieke-balinese-kerishouder-19e-eeuw-61-5-cm","title":"A Fierce Guardian of the Keris – 19th-Century Bali","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e H 61.5 × W 18 cm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.2 kg\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bali, Indonesia\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod:\u003c\/strong\u003e 19th century\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Carved wood with polychrome and gilt decoration\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Balinese Polychrome and Gilt-Wood Keris Holder\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBali, Indonesia, 19th century\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarved in the round as a fierce standing guardian figure, the face with large protruding eyes, broad nose and open fanged mouth, wearing an elaborate headdress and richly ornamented costume, the surface decorated in black, red, green and yellow pigments with extensive remains of gilt decoration, the hands positioned to support the scabbard of a keris, the figure standing upon an integral base.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pronounced facial expression and highly animated treatment of the body belong to the dramatic visual vocabulary of Balinese guardian and demonic figures. Such figures were particularly suited to the presentation of the keris, an object whose significance in Bali extended considerably beyond that of a weapon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Keris Holder in Balinese Culture\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnown in Bali in various sculptural forms, wooden keris holders were made to support a keris vertically when it was not being worn. Examples were used in domestic and courtly settings, and holders in the form of powerful mythological or guardian figures were particularly appropriate for an object regarded as possessing status and spiritual significance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComparable historic examples are carved as figures associated with the Hindu epics and Balinese protective imagery, including Rawana, Hanuman and other guardian or demonic subjects. The precise identity of the present figure is left open in the absence of a defining attribute.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCarving and Surface Decoration\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sculptor has given particular attention to the head and costume. Deeply cut ornament surrounds the face and headdress, while the clothing is articulated through raised bands, scrolling elements and geometric details.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of the original decorative scheme remains visible. Areas of red, green, yellow and black polychromy are interspersed with extensive gold-coloured decoration, now worn irregularly across the raised surfaces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMicroscopic Examination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamination under magnification reveals a complex stratigraphy to the surviving surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe gilt areas are not preserved as a uniform modern coating. The uppermost points display considerable abrasion, while gold remains more strongly preserved within recessed carving, incised lines and protected areas. Fine scratches cross the decorated surface at different depths, indicating successive periods of handling and wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn several areas, reddish and reddish-brown material is visible beneath and adjacent to the surviving gold. Elsewhere, losses reveal successive pigment and preparation layers before reaching the underlying timber.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe coloured surfaces show similarly varied patterns of deterioration. Green, yellow, red and black passages display differences in abrasion, cracking and exposure of underlying material, producing a layered surface consistent with repeated ageing and use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Underside\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe underside remains largely untreated and provides an important view of the timber itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeep radial shrinkage, longitudinal cracking and deterioration around the heartwood are clearly visible. The principal splits follow the natural grain rather than cutting mechanically across it, while the exposed surface retains irregular carving and tool marks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe contrast between this heavily aged timber and the surviving decorated exterior is particularly noteworthy. The ageing is therefore not confined to the painted surface but extends into the structural wood of the sculpture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith extensive wear consistent with age and use, including shrinkage cracks, losses and abrasion to the polychrome and gilt decoration, local deterioration of the timber, scratches and minor losses to carved details.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe surviving surface has deliberately not been extensively cleaned or refinished, preserving the relationship between the polychromy, gilt decoration and exposed wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eDating\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe carving, construction, surviving polychromy and gilt decoration, together with the pronounced ageing visible in the exposed timber, support an attribution to \u003cstrong\u003e19th-century Bali\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 61.5 cm in height, the present example is an imposing survival of the Balinese tradition of sculptural keris presentation, retaining an unusually expressive combination of carving, colour and historic surface.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"1stbuddha","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58169536414027,"sku":"709","price":461.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1012\/6170\/5547\/files\/balinese-kerishouder-19e-eeuw.jpg?v=1787052434","url":"https:\/\/1stbuddha.com\/products\/19th-century-balinese-keris-guardian","provider":"1stbuddha","version":"1.0","type":"link"}