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Overview
A vintage hand-carved wooden sculpture from Bali showing the Hindu god Vishnu riding Garuda, his bird-like mount. Vishnu sits upright on Garuda's back and wears a tall crown, while Garuda stands with his legs apart, his beak open and his wings swept out to the sides. Behind them, a fan of six large carved feathers forms an arch, and the wings are pierced with open spaces between the feathers. Each feather is finished with fine incised lines, and the figures stand on a round base carved with lotus petals. The wood has a warm honey-brown finish. It suits a bookshelf, desk or display cabinet.
Background
Vishnu riding Garuda is a long-established subject in Balinese wood carving. The underside of this piece is hand-lettered in white: "PROJECT LAUNCH P3KT-BUIP 2-4 JULI '97". "Juli" is Indonesian for July, and P3KT-BUIP is the name used in Indonesian government documents for the Bali Urban Infrastructure Project, a World Bank-funded program that ran from 1997 to 2004. This suggests the carving was a commemorative piece from the project's launch in July 1997. The carving is unsigned, and the wood species has not been identified.
Condition
This piece is damaged, and the price reflects it. There is a break at Vishnu's shoulder and upper arm, with lighter bare wood showing where a piece is missing. At the back, one end of the feather crest has a rough break with a small loss, and the openings in the back of the crest have rough edges. There are small chips, loose wood fibers and wear on the feather tips and wing edges, scattered surface scratches, and age cracks on the underside of the base. Please see all photos.
Dimensions & Weight
It measures 9.8 x 5.8 x 2.6 inches (H x W x D), about 24.9 x 14.7 x 6.6 cm, and weighs 11.9 oz (337 g).
Shipping
Free standard shipping within the US, packed securely.
