BURMA, 19th century - Lot 29

BURMA, 19th century Temple finial figure (shofa) representing a contorted figure in dynamic balance. He rests on the end of a single foot, in an unstable but perfectly controlled posture, giving the whole an airy élan and an astonishing sculptural lightness. The other leg, bent backwards, holds an ovoid object with a honeycomb pattern against the ankle. The arms express a symbolic gesture: one hand extended forward, palm open in a possible gesture of blessing; the other, directed sideways. On the upper part, two protrusions evoke stylized naja heads; one is topped by a nocturnal bird, probably an owl. Wood, gullied, eroded by time and weathering. Dimensions: 76 × 16 cm Provenance: Former Gilbert Lascault collection, Paris Shofa are ridge-top sculptures placed atop the roofs of traditional Burmese houses and temples to ward off evil forces. The association of naja heads, symbols of vigilance and regeneration, with the figure of the owl - protective nocturnal bird and messenger of the invisible world - accentuates the work's apotropaic significance. The figure's acrobatic stance may evoke a sacred dance figure or an ancient ritual game, now forgotten, in which bodily suppleness embodied mediation between heaven and earth.