Ceremonial Hanging
18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This ceremonial hanging shows a scene from the Hindu epic the Ramayana (‘the story of Rama’). Here Prince Rama and the demon king Ravana confront each other, together with their respective armies of monkeys and bears.
Although related in technique and style to south Indian temple cloths, these Ramayana cloths are unique to Indonesia. Here they have been mostly recorded in Sulawesi and Bali. Some bear the stamp of the VOC, the initials of the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie). This indicates that they were manufactured pre-1800 as the trading Company went into liquidation in 1799.
Although related in technique and style to south Indian temple cloths, these Ramayana cloths are unique to Indonesia. Here they have been mostly recorded in Sulawesi and Bali. Some bear the stamp of the VOC, the initials of the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie). This indicates that they were manufactured pre-1800 as the trading Company went into liquidation in 1799.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Mordant-dyed and painted cotton |
| Brief description | Ceremonial hanging with a scene from the Ramayana. Coromandel Coast for the Indonesian market, found in eastern Indonesia; eighteenth century. |
| Physical description | Ceremonial hanging with a scene from the Ramayana. Cotton mordant-dyed and painted with characters from the Ramayana, red on white ground. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased from Ms. Diane Daniel, 4411 Grand View Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066 for US $6500. Historical significance: Although related in technique and style to south Indian temple cloths, Ramayana cloths are unique to Indonesia, where they have been mostly recorded in Sulawesi and Bali. Some bear the stamp of the VOC, establishing a pre-1800 date for their manufacture. |
| Production | Made for the Indonesian market |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | From the Ramayana, telling the story of Rama, aided by the monkey army at left, overcomes the demon Ravana and the forces of Lanka. |
| Summary | This ceremonial hanging shows a scene from the Hindu epic the Ramayana (‘the story of Rama’). Here Prince Rama and the demon king Ravana confront each other, together with their respective armies of monkeys and bears. Although related in technique and style to south Indian temple cloths, these Ramayana cloths are unique to Indonesia. Here they have been mostly recorded in Sulawesi and Bali. Some bear the stamp of the VOC, the initials of the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie). This indicates that they were manufactured pre-1800 as the trading Company went into liquidation in 1799. |
| Bibliographic reference | John Guy, Woven Cargoes. Indian Textiles in the East, Thames and Hudson, 1998, pl. 151. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.23-1996 |
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| Record created | May 4, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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