Mid-Century Balinese Macassar Ebony Cockfighter Sculpture - 12.5”

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An exceptional and expressive milestone of mid-century Indonesian art, this 12.5-inch sculpture captures the absolute peak of the post-war Balinese … Read more An exceptional and expressive milestone of mid-century Indonesian art, this 12.5-inch sculpture captures the absolute peak of the post-war Balinese Everyday Realism movement centered within the master carving enclaves of Mas Village.

Hand-chiseled from a single, uncommonly heavy block of premium old-growth Macassar Ebony, the composition portrays a traditional Balinese villager tenderly cradling his prized game rooster (Ayam Jago) before a local village tournament. The artisan’s mastery is on full display across the fluidly draped sarong lines, the intricate cross-hatch carving of the rooster’s plumage, and the proud, realistic facial features of the trainer, who wears a traditional folded headcloth (Udeng).

Reflecting its authentic mid-century journey, the piece features a historic, completely stable and oil-hydrated lateral impact check confined strictly to the rear drapery support pillar—an expected witness mark of time that safely bears the load of the sculpture with absolute structural rigidity. Standing with immense graphic presence on a beautifully detailed brickwork base, this authenticated milestone carving serves as an elite statement piece, bringing incredible cultural narrative, high-contrast material fire, and decorative luxury to upscale minimalist interiors, executive desks, or premier ethnographic art collections. See less