A SCULPTURE OF A DOUBLE BIRD. Massive wood. East-Nepal, tribal art by the Rai. LENGTH CA. 24 CM
What at first appears to be a vessel with bird heads, is a solid wood carving. The birds, present in both body as well as head, complement each other in combination. The piece has its origins in East Nepal, the ethnic group Rai. The heads and necks of the birds form loops on both ends and there are detailed patterns on them, including zig-zag decorations, line patterns within squares or triangles, feather patterns and stylised flowers. Such carvings were supposedly gifts presented by the parents of brides. From a German collection
Lit.: Petit, M. & Lequindre, C. (2009). Nepal. Shamanism and Tribal Sculpture. Infolio.Marc Petit and Christian Lequindre: “A similar preciousness can be seen in a rare type of object whose intriguing shape of double spiral — figuratively interpreted as an upside-down pair of birds, swans, or ducks — can be explained both by its specific function and the circumstances in which it was used. ... In Rai country these items are a gift from the bride’s parents, to be used to bind the pieces of fabric that constitute her dowry. … Beyond their practical value, such items … are clearly conceived by the givers as an artistic symbolic testimony of love and faithfulness†(Petit & Lequindre, 2009, p. 47).