DepartmentAsia

Bratasena

NameWayang kulit, shadow puppet

Maker Sriyadi (artist, hide carver)

CultureJavanese

Date2001

Place madeWonogiri, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

MediumWater buffalo hide, water-based paint, water buffalo horn, metal leaf (gold or bronze), wood

DimensionsOverall: 44 5/16 x 20 11/16 in. (112.5 x 52.5 cm)

Credit LineIFAF Collection

Object numberFA.2007.40.8

Collections

Wayang Kuilt: Indonesian Shadow Puppets

DescriptionShadow puppet. Large male figure with black face and metal leaf over chest, arms, legs. Long hair with pointed batik headdress, batik skirt and leggings. Long thumbnails. Stands on a black platform visible between feet.

"Performer: Ki Purbo Asmoro; also: Ki Suryanta
Artist: Sriyadi
Place and Date Made: Wonogiri, 2001

Bratasena is Bima as he was known in his youth; his long and loose hairstyle is a clue to his age. Bedhil means rifle. In the Mahabharata, Bratasena appears in lakon such as "Babad Wanamarta [The Clearing of the Amarta Forest], “Balé Si Gala-Gala" [The Firetrap Villa] and "Bima Bumbu" [Bima Served-Up as a Side Dish). This particular piece is somewhat larger than typical depictions of Bratasena." (Katz-Harris 2010).