Description:

**Previously Listed At $75**

Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Java or Bali, ca. early 20th century CE. A hand carved and hand painted wooden mask depicting a character for the Topeng dance of Indonesia painted bright chartreuse with slightly parted lips, incised teeth, a pointed nose, narrowed slit eyes, a black-painted incised fringe of scalloped bangs, and a finely detailed, colorful crown atop his head. Size: 7.75" L x 5.625" W (19.7 cm x 14.3 cm)

This is a Topeng mask which is worn during the dramatic dances enacted in Bali and to a lesser extent Java that depict traditional stories of kings, princes, heroes, and myths. In these dances, the entire story is performed by only four or five actors playing all the parts, both male and female. As a result, actors will have around forty masks like this one that are only his; there is believed to be a special bond between actor and mask and that when he dons the mask, he enters a kind of trance, connected to the spiritual world. The Topeng dance originated in the 17th century, and the word "topeng" literally means mask in Indonesian.

Provenance: From the Tryworks Collection compiled by the Rev. Richard and Jean Kellaway of Fairhaven, Mass.

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#119336

  • Condition: Shows nice signs of age with good patina on interior from use. Expected surface wear and pigment loss commensurate with age and use. Losses to periphery as shown.

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April 24, 2017 10:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
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$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000