Wood mask, 'Queen Cobra'

A beautiful woman stares serenely at the viewer, her smooth features expressing tranquility. Her hair is drawn upward and twin cobras form her earrings. Crowned by a larger coiled serpent with hood spread, her headdress of flowers and vines takes on a mythic import. The cobra is part of everyday life in Bali. To a Balinese Hindu, killing a cobra would mean a lifetime of bad luck and suffering, as it is believed to be the guardian of the gods. Nyoman Naranata sculpts this enigmatic mask from hibiscus wood.