Vintage Balinese Buddha Head on Contemporary Stand (c. 1940s)

Vintage Buddha head supported on a contemporary stand (c. 1940s). This aged work of concrete was discovered in Bali, Indonesia. It is made after the Mathura Buddha - a style which represents a significant development in Indian art. Buddha heads in this manner are characterised by a wisdom bump on top of the head with coils of hair arranged over it. There are also the elongated ears of the Buddha. Tradition was for men to display their wealth and prosperity on their ears adorning large and heavy jewelry made of precious metals and stones. This resulted in having stretched ears, characteristic of the rich men of that period. It was likely Buddha would have worn similar kind of ear ornaments from his childhood till adulthood as a sign of his wealth. Though he stopped wearing them when he left the palace to become an ascetic, his earlobes remained stretched. This may also be taken as the Buddha’s renunciation of the physical world. 

This Buddha head sculpture is in good vintage condition showing signs of weathering commensurate with its age and placement outdoors. There are remnants of lichen on the head and face adding character and patina.

Dimensions: 

H  40 cm

W  18.5 cm