From Java, Indonesia, this pair of statues depicting husband and wife is from the late 19th century.
The statues carved from resin and have a complex, naturally aged patina. They are in excellent condition without damage or repairs.
They measure: 7.50 inches tall for male and 6.00 inches for female.
They are exquisite and very desired cultural figurines which can easily be mistaken for bone statues so beautifully were they made. A little history: The Loro Blonyo, or the ‘Inseparable Couple’ as they are also commonly known, are part of traditional Javanese beliefs and represent the sanctity of marriage within Javanese culture. In Java, Loro means ‘two’ and Blonyo means ‘makeup’. The Inseparable Couple are mainly depicted sitting side by side in traditional Javanese clothing and are placed in a the main chamber of the house as they are sacred within Javanese culture. Loro Blonyo is traditionally known as Dewi Sri – a goddess of fertility and prosperity and the female aspect of Vishnu. The inseparable couple personify Dewi Sri and her consort, Sadona and the love they had for each other. The story of the relationship between these two figures allows people to remember the value of a relationship which maintains the relationship itself. Traditionally, the Loro Blonyo has a “philosophical meaning attached to the values of traditional agrarian society”. In a traditional Javanese house Loro Blonyo are placed at the “sacred meditation chamber called senthong-tengah’”. The homes of the wealthy would also contain rooms for the goddess of fertility and prosperity. It would contain a ceremonial bed, also known as a ‘krobongan’ which would be kept for Dewi Sri to rest upon. The statue of Loro Blonyo would then be placed at the foot of the bed surrounded by incense, oil burners, food, water and flowers.
The household would make sure this shrine would be prepared in case Dewi Sri ever blessed the house with her presence. It is believed that myth “shows us how humans formulate strategies and manage the relationship between forces of nature and human strength. Myth is a story that gives a certain direction to a group of people, to human behaviour and is a guideline for human wisdom. Myth can be told or expressed through dance or puppet performances. Myths do not give any information regarding the powers controlling human, but Myths do help human to consider those powers as something that control and influence the universe and their tribes.” The story of Dewi Sri originated from another story about the supreme god within Javanese culture, Batara Guru, who cursed a man as he failed to obey Guru’s commands. The man fell to the bottom of the sea and ended up in the stomach of Nagaraja, a figure who is often featured within Hinduism and Buddhism. The man made Nagaraja very ill but Batara Guru touched it and Nagaraja threw up the badness, creating two creatures who are now known as Sri and Sadana. Dewi Sri is also known for creating fertile land for rice to grow as the land where she was buried was prosperous and the rice farmers who worked there became rich.
During traditional marriage ceremonies, the bride and groom would take the place of Dewi Sri and her lover and sit side by side waiting to be blessed by the goddess herself. This has resulted in the Loro Blonyo commonly being called the marriage couple or the marriage statue. However, over time the marriage couple have dropped out of use as modern culture is beginning to take over the marriage scene. In central Java, the aesthetical representation of the Inseparable Couple began to change gradually over time. It has “evolved from a classical Indian form to one that was much more human in appearance and more Indonesian, with reference to posture and dress, in conception”. The traditional philosophical aspects of the Loro Blonyo are also less important and people now focus on the aesthetics of the couple rather than the spiritual values they have.