Hand-Carved Polychrome Wooden Bird Sculpture

This is a hand-carved wooden sculpture of a waterfowl or crane, standing on an integral rectangular base. The piece features a graceful, arching neck with the head tucked against the body in a preening gesture. It is constructed from a light-colored, dense hardwood and finished with a decorative polychrome technique. The wings are highlighted with soft pastel washes of light blue, pink, and green, with incised lines to suggest individual feathers. The rest of the body displays a natural wood grain with a warm, aged patina. Notable condition issues include a prominent vertical stress crack running through the upper curve of the neck, likely caused by wood shrinkage over time. There is also visible scuffing and paint loss along the base and the wing edges. The small, dark eyes appear to be inlaid or meticulously painted beads. The overall style is reminiscent of mid-20th-century folk art or Southeast Asian decorative woodcarving, exhibiting high-quality craftsmanship in the smooth, fluid lines of the silhouette and the delicate incised textural details.