house sculpture

Gazing toward the heavens, a young man and his sweetheart clasp their hands in prayer, asking for blessings on their relationship. Suparta carves and paints the figurines by hand, giving them an aged, antiqued finish. Standing on lotus blossoms, they both wear strapless robes known as kamen, and a udeng hat crowns the man.

Because every sculpture is individually crafted by hand, the colors or motifs may vary slightly so that each is a unique work of art.

A graceful pair of hands proffers an open heart in this wonderful sculpture from Bali's Nyoman Sudiana. The artisan carves the statuette by hand from suar wood and gives it a medium brown finish.

Two hearts come together as one in this tender expression of love and sharing. Presented by Eka, from Indonesia, this sculpture is carved from suar wood and signed by the artist.

Heaven sends a message through an archangel, beautifully portrayed by master artisan Nyoman Sudiana of Bali. Using traditional techniques to capture the angel's romantic aura, the artisan works on suar wood to handcraft this sculpture, depicting the protagonist embracing a heart as a sign of tenderness.

Lithe graceful dancers perform the Marinera dance in this vivid sculpture by John Barrow. "It's part of my 'Folklore' series inspired by this beautiful country and its regional traditions," says Barrow with admiration. Originating from northern Peru, the Marinera recreates the sea of emotions surrounding flirtation, attraction and falling in love. It can be danced individually or in couples, and performers hold handkerchiefs in sign of peace. Barrow works with hand-carved segments of cedar, mahogany and ishpingo woods, which he dyes with natural pigments.

A symbol of never-ending continuity, this statuette embodies eternal love. Wayan Rendah unites two true loves into one, in the form a wheel that transforms a heart. Heads together, the lovers present a seed to each other, to mark the beginning of their shared life. Rendah hand-carves this piece from suar wood with refined detail as a testimony to love.