A Small Reclining Woman

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 relatively realistic style, like this one.

These pieces are generally carved in high relief, meaning that they appear as fully realized figures resting against a flat background. It is interesting to note that the use of this technique in representing this type of motif follows a simple and effective logic. In most Balinese reliefs, the surface from which the figures emerge follows a convention: it replaces the real depth of the setting with a play of decorative elements arranged on a vertical plane, or creates the illusion of depth through pictorial techniques, such as the superimposition of motifs (architecture, vegetation, and so on) rendered in shallow relief. Here, by contrast, the background simply presents itself as a reduced equivalent of the mat on which the figure is lying. It therefore seems natural to display these pieces flat, on a horizontal surface. Some, however, prefer to mount them on the wall, which can give the impression that these figures are strangely suspended in their sleep.

This small sleeping figure (barely 25 cm long) probably dates from the 1940s or 1950s. It was carved from beautiful ochre-brown wood. The treatment of the pose bears witness to a keen sense of observation. The placement of the arms, thighs, and lower legs follows a contrasting play of diagonals. One hand disappears into the long hair, gently supporting the head inclined to the left, while the other rests on the stomach, the thumb tucked beneath a fold of the blanket. A slight tilt of the pelvis directs the lower body in the opposite direction from the face, the right leg remaining more elevated than the left, as if the sleeper is in the act of turning on her mat. The overall effect conveys serenity and elegant nonchalance.

While this type of figure is relatively common, it is rare to find one executed as finely as this. Beyond the skill in rendering the posture, the precision and harmony of the facial features, and the quality of the treatment of hair, hands, and feet make it a particularly fine example. The sculptor adopted a style leaning toward realism while preserving traits that suggest familiarity with the Wayang style: elongated fingers, the use of a double incision to indicate the base of the nails, and the contrast between the broken lines of the fabric’s fringe and the forms of the body. These are all elements that, to me, justify the hypothesis of a fairly early date for the creation of this piece.