A BRONZE BELL FINIAL IN THE FORM OF RAKSHASA, EASTERN JAVANESE PERIOD
Indonesia, 12-13th century. Finely cast, the finial depicts a demon king, also known as guardians, with a distended belly, grimacing face with a long tongue extended down, and arms raised in a fierce pose. The horned head looks directly forward, each arm has a twining serpent beneath it, and the short tail is flicked upward.


Provenance:
From a private collection in Brescia, Italy.

Condition:
Good condition, commensurate with age. Signs of wear and extensive weathering, some casting flaws, losses, dents and corrosion. The bronze is covered in a rich, naturally grown patina with malachite and cuprite encrustations.

Weight: 141.8 g
Dimensions: Height 11.4 cm

Mounted on an old European wood stand. (2)


Ferocious creatures
of this sort were popular participants in Javanese mythology and literature and appear often in the art of the Eastern Javanese period. Their association with bells is not uncommon. Bells and oil lamps feature prominently in the ritual life of the Buddhist state of Majapahit, in eastern Java, and the design has become increasingly flamboyant over time.


Literature comparison:

Compare a closely related bell top in the form of a demon king or guardian, 12.5 cm high, dated to the Eastern Javanese period, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1987.142.17. Compare a closely related bell with a lion finial, 27.3 cm high, dated to the 13th century, Eastern Java, in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number M.71.73.163. Compare a related Javanese bronze finial in the form of a roaring lion, 10.2 cm high, dated to the 15th century, in the Victoria & Albert Museum, accession number IS.114-1999. Compare a related Javanese bronze handle of a mythical beast, 8.3 cm high, dated ca. 10-14th century, in the British Museum, registration number 1859,1228.73.