Vintage Hand Carved Bali Balinese Topeng Indonesia Dancer\'s Ancestor Spirit Mask
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Vintage Hand Carved Bali Balinese Topeng Indonesia Dancer\'s Ancestor Spirit Mask:
$149.99
Here is a recent estate find. Here is a Stunning Vintage Hand Carved Bali Balinese Topeng Indonesia Dancer\'s Ancestor Spirit Mask, in Excellent Condition!!! This measures approx. 7 1/2\" x 6\" x 3 1/2\" and Has a Hinged Moving Jaw. It is Of the Old Man Topeng Dance Character \"Topeng Tua\", and is Signed inside \"Indonesia\". Don\'t pass this one up, This will make a Stunning and Unique addition to any collection! $149.99
History
Indonesian masked dance predates Hindu-Buddhist influences. Native Indonesian tribes still perform traditional masked-dances to represent nature, as the Hudoq dance of the Dayak people of Kalimantan, or to represent ancestor spirits. With the arrival of Hinduism in the archipelago, the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics began to be performed in masked-dance. The most popular storyline of topeng dance however, derived from the locally developed Javanese Panji cycles, that based upon the tales and romance of Prince Panji and Princess Chandra Kirana, set in 12th-century Kadiri kingdom.
One of the earliest written record of topeng dance is found in 14th-century Nagarakretagama, which described King Hayam Wuruk of Majapahit — wearing a golden mask — as an accomplished topeng dancer.[1] The current topeng dance form arose in the 15th century in Java and Bali where it remains prevalent, but it is also found in other Indonesian islands — such as Madura (near East Java). Various topeng dances and styles are developed in various places in Indonesian archipelago, the notable ones are those in Cirebon, Yogyakarta, Malang and Bali. The well-developed topeng technique is now studied in universities of Europe and America.
It is believed that the use of masks is related to the cult of the ancestors, which considered dancers the interpreters of the gods. Topeng performances open with a series of non-speaking masked characters which may not be related to the story to be performed. These traditional masks often include Topeng Manis (a refined hero), Topeng Kras (a martial, authoritarian character), and Topeng Tua (an old man who may joke and draw-out the audience).
The story is narrated from a Penasar, a jawless half-mask that enables the actor to speak most clearly. In group topeng, there are usually two penasars providing two points of view. The performance alternates between speaking and non-speaking characters, and can include dance and fight sequences as well as special effects (sometimes provided by the gamelan). It is almost always wrapped-up by a series of comic characters introducing their own views. The narrators and comic characters frequently break western conventions of storytelling by including current events or local gossip to get a laugh.