Dewa Ruci shadow puppet
Shadow Puppet
late 19th century - early 20th century (made)
late 19th century - early 20th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This shadow puppet of the character Dewa Ruci was made for the Wayang Kulit Javanese shadow puppet theatre, probably in the late 19th or early 20th entury. Wayang Kulit means 'Puppet of leather'.
Dewa Ruci ('the Divine Subtle one') is the embodiment of the spirit which guides the body and soul of the seeker Wêrkudara to an understanding of the Perfection of Life and Mystic Union with the Divine. It comes from the story Sêrat Cabolek (The Book of Cabolek), thought to have been written by Raden Ngabehi Yasadipura I, the pioneer of modern Javanese verse, who died in 1729. There are many versions of the story which became a popular shadow theatre play, often performed under the name Bima Suci (The Holy Wêrkudara). Dewa Ruci is The Holy Wêrkudara, since after his enlightenment he changed his name to Bima.
Dewa Ruci ('the Divine Subtle one') is the embodiment of the spirit which guides the body and soul of the seeker Wêrkudara to an understanding of the Perfection of Life and Mystic Union with the Divine. It comes from the story Sêrat Cabolek (The Book of Cabolek), thought to have been written by Raden Ngabehi Yasadipura I, the pioneer of modern Javanese verse, who died in 1729. There are many versions of the story which became a popular shadow theatre play, often performed under the name Bima Suci (The Holy Wêrkudara). Dewa Ruci is The Holy Wêrkudara, since after his enlightenment he changed his name to Bima.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Dewa Ruci shadow puppet (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted and gilded hide with wooden rods |
| Brief description | Shadow puppet of Dewa Ruci from the Sêrat Cabolek (The Book of Cabolek). Pierced and painted hide. Javanese, late 19th or early 20th century |
| Physical description | Shadow puppet made in 5 sections, of pierced and painted hide. The head and torso section depicts a grimacing character (Dewa Ruci) with pierced, curled black hair, black face and red painted features. The body section is painted gold with gold breeches with a black, white and red loin cloth. Each arm is painted gold and is in two sections, joined at the elbow and each attached to the body at the shoulder and to a rod at its hands. The central supporting rod runs straight up behind one leg and is shaped in a serpentine curve to fit the shape of the puppet. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Credit line | Given by the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild |
| Historical context | Wayang Kulit shadow performances are strongly ritualistic, and the puppets themselves are attributed with magical powers. The shows are performed behind lit screens with the puppeteer or dalang operating the puppets, to the accompaniment of an orchestra, or gamelan. Early plays were inspired by stories in Hindu epics such as The Mahabharata and The Ramayana, but after the late 15th century, Islamic and Arabic sources were incorporated into the repertoire. The good characters are recognisable by their elongated features and pointed noses, whilst the evil characters have round eyes, bulbous noses and protruding teeth. Even today Javanese puppet shows are imbued with mystical associations and often form part of marriage, birth and thanksgiving ceremonies. |
| Production | Reason For Production: Retail |
| Association | |
| Summary | This shadow puppet of the character Dewa Ruci was made for the Wayang Kulit Javanese shadow puppet theatre, probably in the late 19th or early 20th entury. Wayang Kulit means 'Puppet of leather'. Dewa Ruci ('the Divine Subtle one') is the embodiment of the spirit which guides the body and soul of the seeker Wêrkudara to an understanding of the Perfection of Life and Mystic Union with the Divine. It comes from the story Sêrat Cabolek (The Book of Cabolek), thought to have been written by Raden Ngabehi Yasadipura I, the pioneer of modern Javanese verse, who died in 1729. There are many versions of the story which became a popular shadow theatre play, often performed under the name Bima Suci (The Holy Wêrkudara). Dewa Ruci is The Holy Wêrkudara, since after his enlightenment he changed his name to Bima. |
| Other number | P.201 - British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.604-2001 |
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| Record created | August 10, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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