Hindu Goddess of Knowledge, Balinese Saraswati Panel 30” A stunning three dimensional wood carving of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and the arts. She dances while playing the veena and is accompanied by her vehicle, the beautiful swan and her herald, the peacock. The swan symbolizes prudence, so that one's knowledge may distinguish between good and evil and the peacock, a symbol of the arts. Saraswati stands on a finely carved lotus flower. She wears beautifully carved flourishing robes and an ornate headdress. In her four arms, she holds a veena, malas and a lontar (a Balinese traditional book which is the source of science or knowledge). Details abound! This Saraswati panel is carved from one solid piece of kepelan wood (magnolia wood). It took the artist 3 ½ months to carve. You can immediately see how the artist has succeeded in creating brilliant detail, at once dreamlike and realistic, as evidenced in the depictions of the flora and fauna and the emotive faces of the figures. This panel was hand carved by a master artisan in Bali, Indonesia. It is truly one of a kind!
