Indian Bracket or Shelf with Bird Motif

Bearded face and a curling trunk crowd into one small corner of a framed block.

This bracket or shelf with bird motif is from Gujarat, India, and dates to the early 20th century. It is carved & painted teak wood. Carved wooden brackets are a feature of traditional Gujarati architecture, where they are often found under balconies, eaves and shelves in houses and temples. Compact corner fragment carved in deep relief in warm reddish brown. A bearded, wide-eyed face fills the front, with a curving shape and ornamental scrolls above. A stepped, ruled border frames one side. The surface is worn smooth. It is 5.25 inches wide, 5.5 deep and 5.75 high.

A lot of expression packed into a very small block.