Traditional Javanese puppet figure - Textile / Wood - Indonesia - Late 20th century

Traditional Indonesian figure/theatre puppet made of wood and textile – Java – 20th century

Expressive traditional figure or theatre puppet from Indonesia, presumably from the Javanese cultural sphere. The approximately 46 cm tall figure features a hand-carved and painted wooden head with striking large, black-contoured eyes, a curved black moustache, and a characteristic red-black-white striped headdress. The face, hair and headdress are colorfully finished and show a clearly aged patina with corresponding wear.

The body consists of a simple wooden construction and is clothed with various textiles. Especially striking are the padded or textile-worked arms with multicolored ornamentally printed fabric as well as the multi-layer clothing made from different fabrics. Underneath the clothing the original wooden construction is partly visible. The craftsmanship, the variety of fabrics and the pronounced signs of use give the figure a very original and characterful expression.

The design recalls the traditional Javanese puppet and theatre culture and shows stylistic echoes, in particular, of figures from the Wayang theatre milieu. However, due to the unusual construction of the textile arms and the absence of the hand-tilting rods typical for classic Wayang Golek puppets, the figure is deliberately not unambiguously described as a Wayang Golek rod puppet. A precise attribution to a specific figure or ethnic group cannot be secured without further provenance.

Origin: Indonesia, presumably Java. Epoch: 20th century. Material: carved and painted wood as well as various textiles. Dimensions: approx. 46 cm high and approx. 16 cm wide. Provenance: Private collection.

The figure is in a reasonable, clearly aged and wear-marked condition. The painting shows wear and minor defects. The older textiles show discolorations, soiling, wear, cracks and partial losses. Also on the wood there are signs of wear and damage, especially in the lower part of the construction. These traces were deliberately not restored and belong to the object's inherited appearance. The condition, construction and the individual signs of use are well documented in the numerous detail photographs; the photographs are part of the condition description.

An unusual and expressive Indonesian figure puppet with a strong decorative character and pronounced aging patina – interesting for collectors of Indonesian folk art, traditional dolls and non-European art.