19th Century Indonesian Hand-Made Leather Wayang Kulit Shadow Puppet Horse

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19th Century Indonesian Hand Made Leather Wayang Kulit Shadow Puppet Horse

A hand-made filigree leather horse shadow puppet from Java, … Read more 19th Century Indonesian Hand Made Leather Wayang Kulit Shadow Puppet Horse

A hand-made filigree leather horse shadow puppet from Java, Indonesia. Made in the 19th century, hand-painted in gray and brick red with touches of black, mounted on a turned wooden stick (partly broken), dusty and extremities worn, 20.5 inches long and 11 inches tall.

Wayang kulit is a traditional Indonesian form of shadow puppetry from Java and Bali, where flat, elaborately carved leather puppets are manipulated by a puppeteer (dalang) to cast shadows on a screen. They are performed to the accompaniment of a gamelan orchestra, which A gamelan is a traditional Indonesian percussion orchestra, primarily featuring bronze gongs and metallophones, along with drums, and sometimes flutes, string instruments, and voices. These shows, which can last for hours, tell epic stories, serving not just as entertainment but as a means of reflection on spiritual and societal matters. The puppets are made from carved and painted buffalo hide or cow hide, and each puppet is designed to represent specific characteristics.

This puppet is in very good condition for its age, and it would perfect for framing and display. The stick would have had an extension or would have originally been longer, for use of the puppeteer. Use the zoom feature to examine the photos for detail. They are part of the description. See less