Thailand Stone Female Temple Head Bust Real Or Fake

Thailand Stone Female Temple Head Bust Real Or Fake
This piece looks very old, but what looks like varnish, alarms me. What is your opinion? The art piece is 10.25" tall 7" across the shoulders and 4.50 Wide

 

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It has an Indonesian feeling to me

 

I think you're right the lips

 

Maybe the question should be, Who is she.
A rice Goddess perhaps

 

Think you're right about Indonesia.

Debora

 

IMO it is a casting, not natural stone. Look at where the head dress is broken away. The varnish has been absorbed into the porous material more so than would happen with stone. It isn't antique or the base of the soft, cast material would show wear from being moved around.

 

It is a cast version of half of a Balinese Loro Blonyo, or bridal couple. She has lost her husband somewhere along the way. These are usually carved in wood.
Loro Blonyos were originally used by the Javanese aristocracy so there were always representatives of the couple in the house. Javanese ones were small full figures, Balinese ones only busts.
When tourism to Bali started, Balinese style Loro Blonyos were made for the tourist trade. Nowadays they are also given to newly-weds in Bali.
This cast could have been made anywhere.

 

Couldn't find any Bali Loro Blonyo online, so here is my set, carved wood. Happy together since the 1930s: