Indonesian Bat-Form Standing Screen

A bat, if you are generous. A very large bat.

This bat-form standing screen comes from Borneo, Indonesia, 20th century, in dungun wood. Borneo's forests are known for heavy tropical hardwoods and enormous buttressed trees. What looks like one broad sheet of wood dips at the center to a pointed, head-like rise, then climbs to a high corner at each side. The surface is orange-gold and deeply rippled with grain, which gives it something of the look of stretched skin. It is 102 inches long and 68 high.

It will not fly. It would like you to wonder.