Ethnic Cultures of Asia
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Wayang Kulit: Raden Arjuna, Second half of 20th century
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 13
July 21, 2020 (Tue) - October 11, 2020 (Sun)Wayang Kulit is a traditional form of shadow-puppet theater in Indonesia.
Around the 10th century, Hinduism along with its accompanying epics the Mahabharata and the Ramayana were introduced to Indonesia from India. As the epics spread through Indonesia, they were adopted as the storylines for Wayang Kulit plays.
The puppets used in Wayang Kulit are cut from water buffalo hide, intricately carved with fine chisels, and decorated in vibrant colors. The sticks for manipulating the puppets are mostly made from water buffalo horn.
Wayang Kulit plays typically last all night. The puppeteer, called a dhalang, maneuvers all the puppets, delivers all the lines, and even cues the accompanying musicians (gamelan). Although they are based on famous epics, performances are not strictly scripted and include the dhalang’s improvisations.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Wayang Kulit: Raden Arjuna | Central Java, Indonesia | Second half of 20th century | Gift of Mr. Taeda Tsuyoshi TK-3491 | |||
| Highlight | Wayang Kulit: Prabu Kresna | Central Java, Indonesia | 21st century | Gift of Mr. Matsumoto Ryō TK-3547 | |||
| Highlight | Wayang Kulit: Prabu Duryudana | Central Java, Indonesia | 21st century | Gift of Mr. Matsumoto Ryō TK-3461 |