Vishnu on Mount Mandara, with the naga Vasuki and the turtle Kurma, likely early 20th century, 37 cm, private collection The sculpture was carved from a light-colored, lightweight wood – likely panggal buaya, or crocodile wood. A male figure stands at the top of a rocky mass. He wears an ornate headdress and richly decorated garments. He performs a ritual gesture, holding a botanical element between his palms joined against his chest. A fantastical serpent figure, itself ador

A Makara, before 1971, 30 × 19 × 13 cm, private collection The sculpture depicts a makara, a motif found in numerous representations from India to Southeast Asia, including China. The makara is a mythical creature associated with the aquatic realm. Its features draw from those of the elephant, the crocodile, and the dolphin. Endowed with a protective function, its image is often placed on the thresholds of palaces or temples, such as at Borobudur, as shown in the picture belo