Realism

Children at Play by I Made Kania (signature on the underside), second half of the 20th century, 24 x 14 x 11 cm Seated at his desk, computer glowing, the collector has placed his latest acquisition before him. He has resolved to write an article about it. Yet, concentration eludes him: in his old building, where the soundproofing is poor, the noises of the neighborhood are a constant companion. Judging by the thuds echoing through the ceiling, the young children of the couple

Young woman holding a flower and a mirror by a sculptor from the Njana Tilem Gallery, between 1970 and 2000, 31 cm, private collection Probably created between the 1970s and 1990s, the sculpture is carved from Macassar ebony, a dark wood streaked with reddish veins. It depicts a young woman kneeling, her legs folded to one side. With her head tilted, she gazes at a flower she holds between the fingertips of her right hand. In her other hand, she holds a mirror. She is simply

A Balinese couple: young woman by I Wayan Gog, 30 cm; young man by I Made Pait, 36,5 cm, 1930s–1940s, private collection Balinese busts have been among the most cherished souvenirs for visitors to the island since the 1930s. And it is undeniably in the first half of the 20th century that the finest pieces were produced—whether busts of women, men, young or old, or janger (or djanger) dancer busts with their wide headdresses decorated with floral motifs. Figures of young adult

Reclining Woman, first half of the 20th century, 25 x 12.8 cm, private collection Sleep is a recurring motif in modern Balinese sculpture. It is the central theme of reclining figures set against a flat background, as illustrated by this example. These figures often appear in pairs: a sleeping man and a sleeping woman, the latter sometimes accompanied by a child. They seem to have been popular between the 1930s and 1960s. They can be found in the wayang style as well as in a