Male and Female Wooden Figures
Ca 20th Century AD
Myanmar (Burma)
A pair of wooden figures, one female and smaller, the other male and taller, both in a praying position. Both objects have sustained considerable damage and are largely discolored, but they retain the extremely well defined carving as well as the remnants of the original color and pigmentation (see more pictures below).
Culture
Burmese
Period
Ca 20th Century AD
Context
Carving has endured a long history in Myanmar. Exquisite wood carvings can still seen at some ancient monasteries and pagodas. Teak is commonly used as it is a native species in the forests of South East Asia.
In Mandalay, wood carving workshops [are common] where artisans carving large teak panels featuring the Buddha and other ornamental symbols related to Buddhism.
Yet not far from the wood carving workshop lies an entire road of marble carving workshops. This road is called Kyauk Sitt Thin (which literally means ‘Stone Carving Road’). It turns out that Mandalay is particularly well known for its marble stone sculptures.
The Burmese word for marble is ‘Sagyin’, which also is the name of a village about 21 miles to the north of Mandalay. The village is located near Sagyin Hill, a mountain range consists of 7 hills with large quantities of marble. And not far from the hills is Mogok, which is known as the Valley of Rubies.
The marble from Sagyin Hill varies in colour from pure white to bluish grey. Traditionally, stone carving used to be carved solely by hand using chisels, but now power tools are being used instead. The once handcrafted trade has now become a mass production industry that exports globally.
A traditional lost-wax-method is used to produce [bronze] statues. First, a clay-based mold is made, then it is covered with a thin layer of wax, which enables the carving process to take place. Afterwards, a second clay frame is molded around the wax statue. Molten bronze is then poured in between the two molds, melting the wax and filling the gap. When the clay mold is cooled and removed, the statue inside becomes a replica of the original wax statue. The statue is then polished to make it look smooth and shiny (ToothPicker)
For more information on Burmese art, click here.
Size
Ca 47 cms x 13cms
Material
Wood
Inventory Code
MBC8.2015.1
Other Pictures
Upper View with Facial Expressions
Lower View with Elaborate Clothing
Female Figure
Male Figure
Detail of Robes
Bottom Up View
