Featured Bali Art Deco wood carving. Crazy ashtray.....

Did you receive the picture? she is rather unusual with a powerful presence,,,, how old do you this she is?

 

She is lovely, a really charming piece.
No big earplugs, so post 1945.

 

I just now read through this whole thread .. how very interesting !! I knew nothing about Balinese carvings but find them to be very beautiful and I'm strangely attracted to them in my heart. Thank you all for the insight and knowledge that you give so freely. Please do not leave any "likes" as I just wanted to impart my appreciation and not get kudos for doing so .. Joy.

 

PLEASE no likes, it takes away from what I truly feel .. Joy.

 

as u wish................

 

Thanks Komo .. .. Joy.

 

I am so glad you enjoyed it @Christmasjoy . (Is this ok?)
I am still planning to start another, more complete Bali Art Deco thread, and hope others with beautiful old Balinese art will join in. There will be more on the background as well, and Rene is also doing a lot of research.

 

I'll be watching for it AJ .. .. Joy.

 

It isn't.
But it has nothing to do with art either. But there probably was another Toko PDP when the girl was made.

 

I would love to see earlier examples of Balinese carving,,, pre world war 1 turn of the last century,,, just to get an idea of what they look like...
May I recommend reading Adrien Vickers,,, he is recognized as one of the worlds leading authorities on Balinese Cultures,

 

I just found a rare catalogue::
Pre-war Balinese Modernist Paintings and Wooden Sculptures Froma Private Collection of Dr. A. de Roever (The Sandalwood Collection) Inclduing Works Selected by Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead
Borobudur auction may 2010
got the last one on the net,,,, only one

 

They would have been the same as they had been for centuries. You can see them in museums, and a lot of photographs online as well. Mostly polychrome religious carvings, made for temples and palaces, etc.
Art Deco was only introduced ca 1930, although it was already thriving on neighbouring Java and Madura.
Around the turn of the last century Bali was still considered a dangerous place for many outsiders. The Balinese still had the reputation of being cruel slave hunters, widow-burners and looters of stranded ships. Even though many Balinese were perfectly nice people of course.
Some Western artists visited the island during peaceful times in the late 19th-early 20th century, but never had any real influence. From reading their accounts they were always glad to be back in Java.

For an account from around the time of the introduction of Art Deco to Bali, I can recommend "Island of Bali" by Miguel Covarrubias.
Miguel Covarrubias was a Mexican artist, and one of those who had a tremendous influence on Bali Art Deco.
You can see the relationship between the human form in his work and Balinese carvings from the 1930s onward:

 

You are a great teacher AJ,,,,,,Yes, I see the elongated arms,,,, so beautiful,,,,,, the book is actually sitting right here next to me,,,, did I say that my Grandmother is Cuban.
There is a an opening reception tomorrow night at Museum Puri Lukisan for Ida bags Sena hosted by the son of Tjokorda Agung Sukawati and curated by dr. Jean Cou
teau

 

on another note,,, I had the pleasure to meet with the grandson of I Ketut Rodja, Gede and exchange some very interesting stories,,,,,he has a nice collection of Pita Maha art,,,, I Now realize that I know the grand sons of some of the founding fathers of the Pita MaHa group,,,, Ida Bagus Putu Teman's grand son Id B Supartha and the grand son of prince Tjokorda Agung Sukawati, I would love to organize a reunion of those descendants to sort of revive the Pita Maha spirit.

 

Wonderful, René. And maybe setting up a new Pita Maha would be a good idea.

 

That is Greta Idea AJ,,, I was contemplating that ,,, I am not a Rudolf Bonnet,,,, His role is very interesting in Balinese History,,,,, I read that he sold 2 of his painting and was able to buy a car,,,, this enabled him to go threw villages looking for art,,,, yeas he was an art collector , dealer artist ,,,, I star some of these similar traits.

 

Just found another book on the collection of Margret Mead,,,,,images of Power: Balinese Paintings Made for Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead

Is this an interesting read?

 

Well, as long as you are not a Walter Spies (the other Western Pita Maha artist-founder) it is ok. His behaviour was not something anyone should copy.

I believe those are paintings made by Batuan artists while Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead were in Bali.
This is one, a farewell picture. It was made before they (in the boat) left Bali (top) to go to New Guinea (bottom):

http://cat4chat.narod.ru/bali_paint.htm