DepartmentAsia

Bathara Indra

NameWayang kulit, shadow puppet

CultureJavanese

Place madeJava, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

MediumWater buffalo hide, ancur, paint, water buffalo horn, wood, gold leaf

DimensionsOverall: 32 5/16 x 12 5/8 in. (82 x 32 cm)

Credit LineIFAF Collection

Object numberFA.2007.40.167

Collections

Wayang Kuilt: Indonesian Shadow Puppets

DescriptionShadow puppet. A very old and important piece. Medium male figure, black face, very old gold leaf, deity's headdress, pale blue striped coat, red skirt and leggings. Black shoes.
Performer: Ki Purbo Asmoro
Artist: unkown
Place and Date Made: Central Java, Kartasura Era (1680-1755); acquired by Ki Purbo Asmoro in Jakarta, 1996
Bathara Indra is a god of the sky, the storms, and thunder, and this wayang kulit puppet is the oldest piece in the collection.
Indra plays a role in the lakon about the gods, as well as the other episodes like "Ciptoning" (Arjuna's Deep Meditation) and "Bima Suci" (Bima as Priest), from the Mahabharata.