Ancient Balinese mask in polychrome carved wood – protective figure of the t

Balinese mask of Kala Rahu in polychrome carved wood. Important Balinese mask made of carved and hand-painted wood, representing Kala Rahu, a protective figure from Hindu-Balinese traditions related to ritual theatre and sacred architecture. The monumental face with bulging eyes, a third eye on the forehead, and an open mouth filled with fangs belongs to the iconography of apotropaic guardians intended to repel negative forces. The headdress adorned with small stylised heads evokes the demonic ornaments of sacred Balinese representations. The remarkable deep blue polychromy, combined with ivory, ochre, and pale pink tones, gives this sculpture a particularly powerful and theatrical presence. Balinese craftsmanship from the 20th century, straddling ritual object, dance theatre, and ethnographic sculpture.