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Loan Object
Photo by Johan Vipper
Photo credit: Johan Vipper
Explore image in Dragon-Snake Figure (Aso)
18th–19th century
Wood
13 3/8 × 48 7/16 × 2 3/4 in. (34 × 123 × 7 cm)
base: 3/8 × 25 3/16 × 4 3/4 in. (1 × 64 × 12 cm)
base: 3/8 × 25 3/16 × 4 3/4 in. (1 × 64 × 12 cm)
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.551
Many Southeast Asian cultures represent a mythical dragon-snake. In addition to dragon- and snakelike features, an image of the creature may also incorporate characteristics of other animals. A dragon-snake figure has a protective function and is also associated with fertility. It usually appears at doorways, on house gables, and on ritual objects. The Dayak people of the interior of Borneo call the dragon-snake aso.
Geography:
Made in Borneo, Indonesia
Status:
On view
Culture:
Borneo
Period:
18th–19th century
Classification:
Architectural Elements
Provenance:
Ex-collection: A. Schoffel, Brittany, France
Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
