THE BRONZE WEAVER, INDONESIA (COLLECTED FLORES), 6TH CENTURY. BRONZE, 25.8 X 22.8 X 15.2 CM. COLLECTION NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA – TAASA Review December 2011

While the foot-braced body-tension loom depicted has not been observed in Flores in historical times, local looms with the back beam braced by poles are closely related.

Identical foot-braced looms have, however, survived in remote districts of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, and Hainan. The acquisition is especially fitting for an institution which holds one of the world’s finest collection of textiles from the Southeast Asian region, many of which were woven on similar looms, display comparable designs and were created for cultures whose beliefs were possibly very compatible with those of the creator of The Bronze Weaver. Robyn Maxwell, Senior Curator of Asian Art, National Gallery of Australia ...