Metal mask / wall hanging - female figure - where from?

My ignorance is showing - don't know if she's a Buddhist figure or perhaps Hindu. Non-ferrous metal (not attracted to magnet). The flowery details seem to have been gold painted or gilt at some point - most of it's gone now. 6" long, about 2" deep. Weighs 17 ounces. Where's she from? And...is she someone in particular? Thanks again!

~

 

She's the goddess of...what the heck do i Know ?????

@Any Jewelry , will likely know more.

 

She is beautiful.
This is one of those cases where it is difficult to tell if she is Indian or Hindu-Javanese. The term Hindu-Javanese includes Buddhism.
The asymmetric hairstyle makes me think she is Javanese, but again, can't tell for sure.
The Hindu-Javanese style is based on Indian styles. Many Indians settled in Indonesia, and the early Hindu dynasties were essentially Indian. The Hindu-Javanese culture spread to some of the neighbouring islands.
There are still many Sanskrit words in the Indonesian language.

Without attributes it is hard to tell which Goddess she is. Which probably means she is the Goddess, the feminine creative force.
All Goddesses are manifestations of this force. In India she would be called Shakti, in Indonesia Dewi (the Shining One).

In Java/Madura Shakti is the force itself, undefinable, Dewi is the manifestation of the force.
The main Hindu-Javanese religion is Shaktism, in which Shakti is supreme. The supreme being (not force) is Sang Hyang Tunggal, below him come the Gods. Equal importance is given to the main Gods Brahma, Siwa (Shiva), Wisnu (Vishnu) and Dewi. Siwa is considered the father of the other Gods. Dewi can appear as any Goddess.
Complicated, I know.

All Javanese Goddesses are called Dewi something. Dewi Sri is the rice Goddess, Dewi Ratih the moon Goddess, etc.
Dewi is also a popular girl's name, both in Indonesia and in the Netherlands.
I would call this beauty Dewi.

 

Since she is probably the Goddess, she is also the Goddess of what the heck do I know. Proper name: Dewi apa yang aku tahu?.

 

Bawhaahaha!!!!!!!

 

She's also the Goddess of my office - her presence is now watching over my desk

 

Thank you so much AJ - I suspected something along that vein but wasn't sure if she could be ID'd as coming from a particular place or time. You've narrowed it down substantially for me, and I understand who she is - thanks again!

 

Pleasure, aaron, as always. I'm sure she is a beautiful addition to your workspace.

 

Found this - quite similar to mine, although the casting and details on mine are finer, and some of the decoration on the headress is different, they are calling theirs Parvati(although other images of Parvati online seem a bit different from this). Maybe both mine and theirs are based off an older image/statue somewhere...

https://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/sculptures/goddess-parvati-mask-with-fine-headdress-ZCS36/

 

And now found another almost an exact match:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HA...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557



This seller is calling it Bidri work (blackend zinc alloy with inlaid silver details) - I thought mind had gold but silver makes sense too. Also they are calling it Lord Ram(Rama) - not sure about that either but definitely a match.

 

ya that's a match.....but I'd go with AJ's take on it even if she were blindfolded....before trusting some eblech seller !

 

Agree totally

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence komo and aaron.

Absolutely. Most recent Hindu statues, etc. are based on famous antique examples, from museums and temples. That is the same in all countries with a Hindu tradition, and they borrow from each other, the same as in Christian traditions.
I agree, your Goddess looks like she could have had silver or silvertone inlay. So she has some age.

The Parvati-Rama-anyone else confusion is something I come across a lot, also from Hindu sellers. Even for a devout Hindu it is difficult to know every Hindu tradition, there is such diversity. And they don't research it, they just want to sell.
I bought a Javanese bronze replica that has been described as Shiva by some and Vishnu by others. I am still researching that one. Another one I have had for many years is described as Vishnu by some and King Rama from the Ramayana by others. In this case it is definitely Vishnu.
So the same statue will be offered for sale under different names. Although this is the first time a Goddess with a woman's hairdo is named as a male figure.
And many will just take a popular name, which will sell.

Agree, not a Parvati depiction I know. I always recognize Parvati by her elegant posture and the position of her hands, both are difficult to tell with a mask. I have never seen Parvati without a crown.
Here is my little Parvati, an early-mid 20th century replica of an antique Southern Indian statue. The typical pose is called 'tribhanga', three bends (knee-hips-upper body):


Your mask is a girl imo. And a Goddess without attributes or specific hand positions can only be defined if you find an original, if it is based on an old one.
So my working title for your mask is still Dewi or Shakti. I prefer Dewi, a more gentle name (De is pronounced as day), and it fits in with the asymmetrical hairstyle.