Indonesian Wayang Golek Puppets - Mid 1900s

Details

Description

"A pair of hand crafted wooden Indonesian wayang golek rod puppets of Rama and his wife Sita, the central characters … Read more "A pair of hand crafted wooden Indonesian wayang golek rod puppets of Rama and his wife Sita, the central characters of the Indian epic the Ramayana.

The Indonesian puppets are wood with painted silver and black layers. The fabric is cotton. There are silver and gold sequins sewing into outside. The arms are controlled by black sticks as shown, and there is another extension within to hold the body with the other hand.

The total height, including clothes is about 28".

STORY:
Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, here on the left, is identifiable by his high crown. Sita, his wife, is identifiable by the face of Garuda (a bird-like creature) featured on the back of her headdress. Wayang, Indonesian puppet theater with many variations, typically performs plays based on Indian epics like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. These puppets would have been used in a performance of the Ramayana in the wayang golek style, a performance style which uses wooden rod puppets and is primarily associated with the Sundanese culture of West Java.

CONDITION: These are vintage and have some wear as would be expected. The clothes and jewels are in good condition with some discoloration. The twine used to connect the arms and legs together has been replaced in a couple places. See less