BALI ISLAND, Indonesia. First half of the 20th century - Lot 45

BALI ISLAND, Indonesia. First half of the 20th century Applied mask representing the head of Bhoma, a protective figure from Balinese mythology. The mouth is gaping, the beak adorned with sharp fangs. The eyes are sculpted in marked relief, and the two-tiered headdress is decorated with motifs in the round, combining floral scrolls, vegetal volutes and concentric circles. Polychrome wood, marks of use and age. Dimensions: 27 × 17.5 cm Provenance: Private collection, France Bhoma is a protective entity, often placed above doors or used as a votive element to ward off negative forces. It combines animal, demonic and divine attributes. Unlike Garuda, he is not a divine mount, but a powerful spirit associated with fertility, the forest and guarding sacred places. The use of fangs and aggressive expressions underlines its apotropaic role in 20th-century Balinese iconography.