Shadow Puppet thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Shadow Puppet

ca. 1850 (made)
Place of origin
Java (made)

Wayang Kulit puppet, leather, pierced painted gilt, Java, Indonesia, about 1850

Object details

Object type
Shadow puppet
Brief description
Wayang Kulit puppet, leather, pierced painted gilt, Java, Indonesia, about 1850
Dimensions
  • Length: 76cm
  • Width: 43cm
Gallery label
(14/06/2011)
Wayang Kulit Puppet
About 1850
One of the most characteristic Javanese art forms is the
Wayang Purwa or shadow puppet performance. Mentioned in
Javanese sources as early as the 10th century, it draws heavily
on stories from the Mahabharata and Ramayana. This figure
is the wise king Kresna, the guide and mentor of the Pandawa
brothers in the Mahabharata.
Leather and wood
Indonesia (Java)
Museum no. IS.36:25-1881
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.36:25-1881

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Record createdJuly 10, 2019
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1501798/shadow-puppet/
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