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Cultural Context

Theatrical performance.

Iconographic Meaning

Each puppet is characterized by its wanda, a Javanese word which describes the specific mixture of elements of size, form, colour, ornamentation and carving. White face, position of face and eyes, delicate features, and gold body indicate high nobility, extreme virtue, and youth or innocence. Headdress and skirt suggest rank and wealth. Overall configuration, particularly headdress and face, identify character as Pancawala.

Description

Three-dimensional male humanoid figure (part a); large head (part b) and jointed arms attached to controlling rods. Single controlling rod with a tapered point (part c). Discoloured pink face positioned downwards; very straight pointed nose, exposed white teeth. Moustache, hair, facial details and eyes outlined in black. Large headdress with gold diadem dominated by backwards-facing green, grey and red Garuda Mungkur with siyung jawi, red and gold sumping (sekar kluwih). Long black hair in six curls. Gold neck and upper body with slight discolouration; each arm has two gold and red ornaments at bicep and wrist. Hands held flat and bent back at wrist. Badly discoloured red chest covering and apron with brown wavy trim, cross shaped patterns on each in sequins and beads. Apron has discoloured red waist band and yellow fringe at bottom. Large beige batik skirt, with blue and purple.

History Of Use

Javanese puppetry as an art form probably developed by the 11th century. Wayang golek puppets of western Java 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. A dalang (puppet master) performs the plays to celebrate important occasions, usually in three acts, with vocal and instrumental accompaniment. Typically they serve a moral and religious purpose, and more recently, one of political commentary. Pankawala is a raden (prince) found in the Mahabharata cycle, which is largely concerned with the conflict between the Pandawa brothers and their usurpers, the Kurawa brothers. Pankawala is the son of yudistira, the oldest and ruling member (prabu) of the Pandawas.