Batik Painting Wayang Kulit Jakarta Java Muslim History Indonesian Asian Artist

Description

Antique Wayang Batik Painting, Java
Item
: Very old batik painting, Indonesian, depicting what appears to be an ancient alien (!) but is actually a Wayang figure. This is the kind of painting that you may see in a museum, but such an old piece is a rarity in the art market. Unframed.
Markings
: Unsigned.
Age
: Quite old but undated. ca. 1920 -ish, I'd think.
Condition
: Used. Some stains, etc. but intact with no punctures.
Dimensions
: Painting: approx. 35 x 21 1/4 inches.
Origin
: Discovered in New Jersey.
Features
: This batik painting is an important cultural / historic piece for the Indonesian collector. Just think of all the facets of intertest here from theater to religion...
Background
: From the net: “Across both Java and Bali gods, heroes and demons are all depicted in what has become the distinct and internationally recognized central Indonesian wayang mode: heads in profile with elongated facial features, elaborate headdresses, bodies twisted; and disproportionately long, segmented arms.” AND “Wayang kulit, or shadow puppets, are without a doubt the best known of the Indonesian wayang. Kulit means skin, and refers to the leather construction of the puppets that are carefully chiselled with very fine tools and supported with carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods. The stories are usually drawn from the Hindu epics the Ramayana, the Mahabharata or from the Serat Menak, (a story about the heroism of Amir Hamza). There is a family of characters in Javanese wayang called Punakawan; they are sometimes referred to as "clown-servants" because they normally are associated with the story's hero, and provide humorous and philosophical interludes. Semar is the father of Gareng (oldest son), Petruk, and Bagong (youngest son). These characters did not originate in the Hindu epics, but were added later. They provide something akin to a political cabaret, dealing with gossip and contemporary affairs. The puppet figures themselves vary from place to place. In Central Java the city of Surakarta (Solo) and city of Yogyakarta are most famous and the most commonly imitated style of puppets. Regional styles of shadow puppets can also be found in Temanggung, West Java, Banyumas, Cirebon, Semarang, and East Java. Bali produces more compact and naturalistic figures, and Lombok has figures representing real people. Often modern-world objects as bicycles, automobiles, airplanes and ships will be added for comic effect, but for the most part the traditional puppet designs have changed little in the last 300 years. Historically, the performance consisted of shadows cast on a cotton screen and an oil lamp. Today, the source of light used in wayang performance in Java is most often a halogen electric light. Some modern forms of wayang such as Wayang Sandosa created in the Art Academy at Surakarta (STSI) has employed spotlights, colored lights and other innovations. The handwork involved in making a wayang kulit figure that is suitable for a performance takes several weeks, with the artists working together in groups. They start from master models (typically on paper) which are traced out onto skin or parchment, providing the figures with an outline and with indications of any holes that will need to be cut (such as for the mouth or eyes). The figures are then smoothed, usually with a glass bottle, and primed. The structure is inspected and eventually the details are worked through. A further smoothing follows before individual painting, which is undertaken by yet another craftsman. Finally, the movable parts (upper arms, lower arms with hands and the associated sticks for manipulation) mounted on the body, which has a central staff by which it is held. A crew makes up to ten figures at a time, typically completing that number over the course of a week. However, unfortunately there is not strong continuing demand for the top skills of wayang craftspersons and the relatively few experts still skilled at the art sometimes find it difficult to earn a satisfactory income.” PLEASE SEE MY EBAY STORE FOR A NICE SELECTION OF ART, ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES.
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