ID Number

Title

Item Name

Culture

Material

Manufacturing Technique

Place Made

Date Owned

Owner

Acquisition Date

Source

Source

Measurements

Condition

Accession Number

Iconographic Meaning

Facial features and colouration all indicate an aggressive and coarse character, but of neutral disposition as head is tilted neither up nor down. The simple cap, a spiral headdress with ends hanging down behind ears, the tutupan (closed jacket) and outstretched hands suggest this to be Narada of the betara, or gods.

Cultural Context

Theatrical performance.

Description

Three-dimensional male humanoid puppet: large head (part b) fits into body with skirt (part a), and a control rod (part c) with a long shaft passes through the body and fits into the neck of the figure's head. The body has jointed arms, each with a long controlling rod attached. Light red face, red upturned eyes with black pupils; red lips with white protruding upper teeth. Black moustache, ring beard, eyebrows and shark tooth decoration on forehead. Short blunt nose, large ears shaped like inverted comma. Green and gold band around head ending in a tassel of red. Carved red fez shaped headdress. Gold tassel from top of fez with end of green, red and gold hanging down over straight neck length black hair. Pronounced adam's apple. Arms articulate at shoulder and elbow. Light red hands, fingers symmetrical and outstretched. Black tailored cloth jacket, front closure, no collar, pocket on right chest. Sarong with small pink flowers and grey-blue foliage on beige background.

History Of Use

Javanese puppetry as an art form probably developed by the 11th century. The three-dimensional wooden wayang golek puppets of western Java, which are to be distinguished from the earlier and more sacred wayang kulit shadow plays puppets or other forms, appeared during the 16th century. Originally the plays depicted Javanese mythology, but after the Indian conquest of Java the Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, were incorporated into the cycles, which comprise about 200 plays. An individual or group hires a dalang (puppet-master) to celebrate important occasions. The performances often last all night and are generally presented in three acts, with vocal and instrumental accompaniment. The individual plays vary widely in detail but usually involve conflict between good and evil. They serve a moral and religious purpose, and more recently, one of political commentary. Each puppet's character is represented by its appearance and placement onstage; protagonists with strong elements of good are placed to the right, antagonists of violent or evil nature to the left. Narada appears in virtually all sets of puppets and features in all tales as an advisor and messenger of the gods, providing information not otherwise available to the characters to advance the plot. He is the cousin of Shiva, and the son of Betara Drema and Dewi Laksmi.