Javanese rod puppet possibly representing Ghatotkacha, 19th century
Puppet
20th century (made)
20th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Javanese wayang golek or rod puppets are carved from soft wood, with necks that can swivel and bodies clad in long cotton sarongs. Their headdresses, costumes and colours can indicate the puppets’ characters. White means purity, virtue and moral integrity and is often the face colour of princes. Red means aggressiveness and anger, while blue and green faces mean cowardliness and hypocrisy. They are operated from below the stage by a central rod and by rods connected to the puppets’ hands. The puppeteer directs the performance and speaks all the roles. Behind him sit female singers and a gamelan orchestra.
Dating back to the 16th century, the plays they performed were based on Javanese folklore or stories from the Mahabharata or the Ramayana, ancient Indian epic stories featuring the struggle between good and evil, with good figures on the left of the puppeteer or dalang, and the evil on his left.
Ghatotkacha was an important, magical character In the Mahabharata who was summoned by Bhima to fight on the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra battle.
Dating back to the 16th century, the plays they performed were based on Javanese folklore or stories from the Mahabharata or the Ramayana, ancient Indian epic stories featuring the struggle between good and evil, with good figures on the left of the puppeteer or dalang, and the evil on his left.
Ghatotkacha was an important, magical character In the Mahabharata who was summoned by Bhima to fight on the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra battle.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Javanese rod puppet possibly representing Ghatotkacha, 19th century (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved wood with painted decoration, sewn batik cloth |
| Brief description | One of two carved and painted wayang golek puppets, possibly representing Ghatotkacha. Javanese, 19th century. |
| Physical description | Painted wooden head, and gold painted arms, legs and torso. Possibly represents Ghatotkacha. Face painted green with red eyes and black open mouth and facial hair. Has painted gold, blue, white, yellow and red crown. Wearing a long flowing red, gold, black, red and turqoise patterned batik skirt and an aqua coloured sash. Operated by two wooden rods attached to the arms. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Lanchester Collection |
| Summary | Javanese wayang golek or rod puppets are carved from soft wood, with necks that can swivel and bodies clad in long cotton sarongs. Their headdresses, costumes and colours can indicate the puppets’ characters. White means purity, virtue and moral integrity and is often the face colour of princes. Red means aggressiveness and anger, while blue and green faces mean cowardliness and hypocrisy. They are operated from below the stage by a central rod and by rods connected to the puppets’ hands. The puppeteer directs the performance and speaks all the roles. Behind him sit female singers and a gamelan orchestra. Dating back to the 16th century, the plays they performed were based on Javanese folklore or stories from the Mahabharata or the Ramayana, ancient Indian epic stories featuring the struggle between good and evil, with good figures on the left of the puppeteer or dalang, and the evil on his left. Ghatotkacha was an important, magical character In the Mahabharata who was summoned by Bhima to fight on the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra battle. |
| Associated object | S.982-2011 (Object) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.981-2011 |
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| Record created | February 28, 2012 |
| Record URL |
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