royal elegance

Floral motifs in ginger, burgundy, and black decorate the ecru body of this fine silk shawl, designed by Bali's Yuni Kristina. She applies the designs by hand using the traditional batik method, where a wax resist is used with dye. The shawl's borders feature truntum motifs, representing one of the oldest batik designs. Long, elegant fringes finish the shawl at each end.

Inspired by the intricate carved wood found on temples throughout Bali, artist Made Mulyani carves this detailed wall medallion of island flora using local suar wood.

Mataram, now the name of a city on the Indonesian island of Lombok, was once the name of both an Islamic sultanate and a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom in Java. The talented Sarwaedi in Bali names this hand-carved wood mirror after the diverse and historically rich region. The mirror, which has a beautifully rococo style, is crafted from richly grained suar wood with a natural finish.

Sarwaedi of Bali crafts a beautiful wall mirror, hand-carved of richly grained suar wood. The artisan names the mirror keraton, which means 'royal palace' in Javanese. The elegant and detailed carving makes it a classic addition to a hall or entryway.

Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family delicately carves the heroic royal couple of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. The epic poem tells the story of Rama, the seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu, who eventually wins Sita in marriage. Displaced as rightful heir to his father's throne, Rama goes into exile with Sita and his brother Lakshmana. Sita is later abducted by the demon-king Ravana. Rama, with the aid of the monkey general Hanoman, searches for Sita and slays Rawana, rescuing her. Rama then regains his throne. Rumors and gossip accuse Sita of adultery during her captivity. Although innocent, she bears Rama's twin sons in exile, sheltered by the hermit Valmiki, the author of the poem. Many years pass, but eventually, Rama and Sita reunite in love. This elegant sculpture by Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family was created in suar wood which is responsible for the richness of color that can be seen in this masterpiece.