Saint John the Evangelist, late Gothic wooden sculpture, ca. 1500
Full-plastic sculpture depicting St. John the Evangelist , made of wood, dated around 1500. The figure is shown in counterpoint, with a slightly bowed head and entwined hands holding a book - an attribute of the Evangelist. The sculpture is preserved in its original polychrome, with a visible structure of pigment layers and natural cracking of the wood.
The work may have been part of a winged altarpiece (retabulum), most likely in the Crucifixion group.
The work may have been part of a winged altarpiece (retabulum), most likely in the Crucifixion group.
Sculpture of a god’s head (Zeus or Hercules), marble, Mediterranean basin, Hellenistic period
Monumental sculpture depicting the head of a bearded god, probably Zeus. The hair and beard form wavy, loose curls; a long mustache descends on the sides and frames the closed mouth. The face has a serious, focused expression, with a slightly flattened nose and furrowed brows. The eyes are carefully modeled, with a distinct upper eyelid, without marked pupils. The sculpture is made of white marble. The piece dates from the Hellenistic period in Greece, circa 300–200 BC.
Singa Barong, polychrome wood, Indonesia, 19th century.
A striking polychrome wood sculpture depicting Singa Barong - a mythical winged lion, known from Balinese and Javanese traditions. The creature is shown in a watchful position, sitting on an ornate base with its mouth open and teeth bared. The figure's appearance is completed by its distinctive bulging eyes, curled tail and mane. Its body is covered with linear motifs resembling tattoos, its breast is adorned with a wide necklace and its front paws with bracelets. The sculpture was most likely associated with a protective function, both in temple and domestic spaces.