royal elegance

Carved by hand and covered with golden foil, this lacquered mask is typical of ancient Javanese dance drama. Nenny Lukhita adds an ornate crown of hammered copper that denotes a member of the royal family. This exceptional mask stands on an iron rod on a mahogany base.

A young dancer is crowned with frangipani blossoms, her elaborate headdress part of the Legong dance costume. Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family sculpts this extraordinary mask from crocodile wood and paints it by hand with vivid detail. The Legong probably originated in the 19th century as royal entertainment, and it is said that the prince of Sukwati fell ill and had a vivid dream in which two maidens danced to gamelan music. When he recovered, he arranged for such dances to be performed in reality.

Celebrating the royalty of Indonesia, Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family creates this depiction of a Balinese woman. Carved from suar wood, she wears an ornate headdress that is painted by hand with white frangipani flowers and gold-tone accents. This wall sculpture is named Tapel Kraton, meaning "royal woman" in Balinese.

The artisan carries on the extraordinary art work of her late father, Nyoman Subrata.

Covered with frangipani blossoms, an elaborate headdress crowns a young dancer. Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family sculpts this extraordinary mask from crocodile wood, following in the footsteps of her father, the late master artisan Nyoman Subrata. The Legong Keraton is probably one of Bali's most important dances. It tells of the King of Lasem, who finds the beautiful Rangkesari lost in the woods and locks her in a house of stone. Her outraged brother learns of this and demands she be freed under threat of war. But Lasem refuses and goes to war – ignoring Rangkesari's pleas for peace. On his way to the battlefield, Lasem encounters a bird of ill omen who foretells his death. The dance dramatizes the farewells before Lasem departs to the battlefield, where he is killed.

Graceful in emerald and gold, this woman wears the unique headdress of the Janger dance. Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family carves the magnificent mask from crocodile wood, and paints it with vivid detail as she shares one of Bali's dance traditions. The artisan carries on the extraordinary art work of her late father, Nyoman Subrata.

The Janger became popular in the 1920s, as it allows young men and women to dance together. Twelve females sit together, swaying and singing sweetly, while a corresponding number of men execute the aggressive kecak chants and movements of the dance. Eventually, the individuals stand and perform creative routines, the men generally taking on clownish roles while the women present more provocative choreographies.

Features a hook for hanging