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Overview A fine pair of mid-century Balinese hand-carved hardwood figures depicting two traditional gamelan orchestra musicians. Sculpted from dense hardwood with a warm, reddish-amber finish, one musician is shown playing a double-headed barrel drum (kendang) across his lap, while the second plays a carved trough xylophone (gender or gambang). Both figures wear traditional folded headcloths (udeng) with tall asymmetrical crests and detailed waist wraps. Standing 4.5 inches tall, this matching ensemble makes a sophisticated accent for desk displays, shadow boxes, or music rooms within Balinese, Art Deco, Wabi-Sabi, or Mid-Century Modern settings. Cultural & Artistic Background In traditional Balinese Gamelan music, performance relies on seamless coordination between different instrument sections. The kendang drummer serves as the rhythmic conductor directing tempo changes, while the gender xylophone player provides elaborate melodic counterpoints. Influenced by the mid-20th-century Art Deco woodcarving movement in villages like Mas and Ubud, Balinese sculptors captured these musicians in states of serene focus, detailing both their instruments and ceremonial attire with expressive precision. Condition & Surface Character • Solid structural condition throughout both figures, carved from dense tropical hardwood with a warm amber-reddish hand-waxed sheen. • Features intact, unbroken standing crests on both udeng headcloths. • Retains an authentic vintage collector/inventory paper label remnant on the base of the drum player. • Crisp relief carving across the drum body, xylophone keys, chest sashes, and facial features. • Free of structural splits, repairs, or chips, exhibiting only light age-appropriate surface dust in tight crevices. Dimensions & Weight • Height: 4.5 inches • Width: 2 inches • Depth: 1.5 inches (each figure)
