Balinese Bust Figures (Male and Female)
Decorative Sculpture • Unidentified Balinese Master or Workshop; Pita Maha school style
Style & Movement
Bali Modernist (Ubud Style), influenced by the Pita Maha movement
Medium & Technique
Carved Teak or Jackfruit wood with a polished lacquer/wax finish
Creation Period
Mid-20th Century (Circa 1940-1970)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 12-15 inches in height each; Three-dimensional bust format.
Subject Description
A pair of busts representing a Balinese man and woman. The female figure wears a traditional 'destar' or crown-like headpiece and 'subeng' (large ear plugs). The male wears a traditional head cloth. Both feature elongated features and serene, meditative expressions characteristic of Balinese aesthetic ideals post-1930s.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good/Very Good; minor surface wear consistent with age.
Estimated Market Value
$200 - $450 USD for the pair
Auction Estimate
$150 - $300 USD
Provenance History
Likely acquired as high-quality tourist art or export craft during the mid-20th century Balinese tourism boom; current retail/estate environment indicated by price tags.
Art Historical Significance
Representative of the stylistic shift in Balinese carving during the 1930s, where traditional religious carving transitioned into secular, decorative portraiture for a global market under European influence (notably Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet).
Notable Features
High-quality anatomical carving and distinctively stylized hair and headwear; original string-tied price tags visible suggest recent trade through an antique mall or estate sale.
Condition Issues
Minor surface scratches, slight dust accumulation in crevices, and potential minor wood shrinkage cracks (checking) common in tropical woods relocated to drier climates.
Conservation Recommendations
Dust with a soft brush; treat with museum-grade microcrystalline wax if wood appears dry; keep in a stable humidity environment away from direct sunlight.