Lot 226 - INDONESIAN BALINESE GUARDIAN WINGED LION STATUE

A vintage Indonesian art Balinese high detail and hand carved in very hard dense wood statue of a guardian winged statue. A winged lion (called a singha) temple or palace guardian. Circa: 20th century. It would have been positioned above a door or gateway of a temple or palace. This is a demon chaser, believed to ward off malevolent forces, and to attract positive forces at the threshold. Highly animated, posed in a taut crouched defensive position turning to its left, eyes bulging, mouth open with teeth bared, its left paw raised and standing on a ball. Mounted to the sphere shaped base with hand carved flowers pattern and with three legs. Antique and Vintage, Asian and Oriental, Indonesian Art, Balinese Figurines. Statuettes, Statues, Sculptures and Collectibles.