Peace and Prosperity (Prosperity)
Peace and Prosperity are two carved Balinese wood figures from Indonesia. This statue represents Prosperity and is made of Bentawas wood. The statue portrays a woman carrying a basket of rice on her head. The figure placed on top of the basket is Devi Sri who is the rice goddess and the goddess of prosperity. The woman holds a rice strainer in her right hand and holds her sarong with graceful folds in her left hand.
Wood carvings are found everywhere in Bali, Indonesia. These wooden statues are placed in temples, pavilions, shrines, and palaces. Demons, gods, and heroes were made into wooden sculptures or carved in wooden panels, mostly for religious purposes. Around the 1920’s foreign travelers took interest in these wooden sculptures, which led to wood carvers creating new forms.
The statues were donated on 15 December 1954 by Abu Hanifah, Vice-Chairman of the Indonesian Delegation, to the Ninth Session of the General Assembly.