Mythical creature, 10th-14th century · Indonesia - East Javanese culture · ID: 3051246
sold
EUR 1,600
Provenance
Joseph Gerena, New York, USAAmerican Collection
Dorotheum Vienna, 5 November 2014, Lot 214
Erwin & Susanne Melchardt, Vienna, Austria
Size
M: 11,5 cm x 12,5 cm
M: 4.5 inch x 4.9 inch
Description
bronze, missing part (tail tip), base
This marvellous bronze sculpture was probably used as an attachment or handle for an oil lamp. The mythical creature shows the body of a bird, depicting a rooster, or “garuda”, the “bird of the gods” and mount of the Hindu god Vishnu. Its head is formed by “makara”, a fantastic sea monster with a wide open mouth and elephant’s trunk. Another, smaller mythical creature, probably representing “singa”, emerges from the maw of the “makara”.
This object is a very good example of the style of East Javanese bronzes, with its dissolution of all forms into moving curves, volutes and twisted spirals.