Untitled

Unknown

late 18th or 19th century · Engraved and chased sheet gold, inset with semiprecious stones and rock crystal, over wood · Asian Art

This kris hilt depicts Batara Bayu, the Hindu deity Bhima's spiritual mentor, an auspicious motif for a dagger, as one of his roles is to ward off evil and offer protection to the keeper of the weapon. Dressed in sumptuously detailed textiles, he holds a kris dagger and is seated on a rocky foliate landscape, enriched with precious stones and inset with elliptical pieces of rock crystal.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 18th or 19th century

Medium

Engraved and chased sheet gold, inset with semiprecious stones and rock crystal, over wood

Culture

Indonesia (Bali or Eastern Java)

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Bequest of Samuel Eilenberg, by exchange and Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert H. Kinney Gift, 2008