Southeast Asia, Burma (present day Myanmar), ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. A wonderful pair of wooden pulleys expertly carved to resemble mythical kinnaras. The lower base of each figure is a rounded block that encloses a wooden pin holding the pulley wheel inside. Atop each block is a kinnara goddess figure, the beloved celestial musician and deity of love, manifesting as a hybrid woman-bird being. Each goddess has a human torso with arms, stylized ears, and heads bedecked with ornate flame headdresses. Their avian aspects include elaborate feathered wings and broad feet. These pulleys were suspended from a loom and hoisted the warp threads to for weaving. A simple mechanism turned into a lovely work of art! Size: 3" L x 4" W x 12" H (7.6 cm x 10.2 cm x 30.5 cm); 15" H (38.1 cm) on included custom stand.

In Southeast Asia, kinnara are mythological beings believed to have descended from the Himalayas in order to watch over humankind during turbulent times. They are among the numerous figures that inhabit the legendary mythical Himavanta forest. Kinnaris have the head, torso, and limbs of a woman and the wings, tail, and feet of a swan. They are appreciated for their song, dance, and poetry and serve as a quintessential symbols of beauty, elegance, and solemn accomplishments.

Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection; ex-Indochine Gallery, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

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#164046

Nicks and chips to high pointed areas. Minor surface abrasions. Well preserved with a dark patina. Pulley wheel still articulates and spins on both.