Lot 778

Balinese Celuluk Performance Mask, Wood and Lacquer

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Balinese Celuluk Performance Mask, Wood and Lacquer

Estimate: $700 - $1,000

Starting Bid: $350

(0 Bids)

by Artemis Fine Arts
July 30, 2026 8:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Bali, ca. 1920–1970 CE. A fierce visage carved from wood and finished in deep red-brown lacquer, its features heightened with black shading and golden accents: bulging pierced eyes, flaring nostrils, and protruding fangs above a hinged, articulating lower jaw. Long strands of thread strung with tufts of boar bristle and horse hair cascade as wild mane, framing elongated ears. The carved face mounts to a woven cane cap covered in cloth to conceal the wearer's head. This is a Balinese performance mask representing Celuluk, the fanged, pendulous-breasted witch-attendant of the demon-queen Rangda, a comic yet menacing figure of the sacred dance-drama. Size: 12" W x 9.5" H x 10" D (30.5 cm W x 24.1 cm H x 25.4 cm D).

Celuluk is among the most recognizable of Balinese theatrical spirits, a follower of Rangda who appears in the Calonarang drama and in Barong performances that stage the eternal contest between order and disorder. Her grotesque, grinning countenance provokes both laughter and dread, and the hinged jaw let the dancer bring the character to chattering, snarling life. Masks of this type are treated as consecrated objects (tenget), receiving offerings and regarded as vessels of spiritual power.

Provenance: ex-David Zahler collection, acquired between 1975-2005

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Item # 203717

  • Condition: Minor fading and scuffs, otherwise intact. Some active shedding to hairs when handled.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $749 $25
$750 $1,499 $50
$1,500 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $7,499 $250
$7,500 $14,999 $500
$15,000 $29,999 $1,000
$30,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000