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Traditional Painting Characteristic
THE painter of traditional works is governed by a strict set of rules regarding subjects, scenery, and composition. Colors are traditionally confined to red (barak), vermilion (kencu), blue (pelung), indigo (tangi), yellow (kuning), white (putih), and black (selem), and a little ochre for flesh tones. These colors at one time were made from organic soot, clay, minerals, fish-gelatin, and pig's bones, but now imported oil colors, acrylics, and black Chinese ink are used. Originally, the painting surface was hand-woven cotton cloth imported from Nusa Penida. Today a thin, unbleached cotton fabric is coated with rice paste until an even, matte-like surface is achieved. The cloth is then polished to a sheen with a large smooth seashell. The coating dulls even bright colors, giving the work a vintage appearance' hence the modern terms for these paintings, 'lukisan antik' (antique paintings). The master first systematically and mechanically draws the preliminary outline of the picture. Assistants color it in, then the master gives the finishing touches. Shading to indicate perspective is traditionally not used. Profiles are rare and full-face representations rarer still. Most faces are drawn in three-quarter profile, with the eyes always shown. All available space is covered in designs. Cloud and wind patterns, flaming ornamental borders, rocks or mountain motifs, and characters standing back-to-back are common devices used to separate the plot-related scenes. Captions are written in the fluid script of archaic Old Javanese or Kawi. Traditional paintings are read like a comic strip, the characters and events represented in separate space cells, the scenes all taking place in a divine cosmic world with the same heroes appearing again and again in different attitudes. Important scenes are positioned in the center, peripheral events to the sides; gods are at the top, demons on the bottom. Sky and clouds are indicated by stylized, codified ornamentation. Each god is distinguished by details of dress and aspect which set him or her apart, whether they be halus ('refined' heroes, deities, and princes) or kasar ('rough' rogues, giants, retainers). Noble, highbred figures wear rich courtly costumes, elaborate headdresses, and jewelry. Their faces are aloof and poised with a serene smile on their lips (even during the bloodiest battles), their arms and legs are long and thin like classical dancers. Coarse characters are denoted by their wild, bulging eyes, sinister sharp teeth, bulbous mouths and noses, hairy black scowling faces, and threatening poses. A character's attributes dictate his age, class, demeanor, position, and actions. For example, the eyes of women are downcast; those of men are proud and alert. Although rigidly standardized and holding to a inflexible set of conventions, traditional 'Kamasan-style' paintings have a balance, a quality of design similar to that of Persian miniatures, Byzantine mosaics, or illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages. While European religious narrative art of medieval times portrayed episodes from the New Testament, Balinese religious art show scenes from their sacred, popular Hindu mythology. By far the finest original examples of traditional paintings date from the 14th century's Gelgel/Klungkung dynasties. These are found on the painted ceilings of the Kerta Gosa ('Hall of Justice') in Klungkung, where you can see (with the help of binoculars) the different tiers showing all the levels of existence between heaven and hell. The most famous panels illustrate the torments of evildoers-people being torn, impaled, crushed, mutilated, eaten, and boiled alive. All these paintings were rendered by anonymous medieval artisans lying on their backs for months on end. The kings, princes, and temple councils of other courtly centers in Gianyar, Tabanan, Sanur, Bangli, Singaraja, and Karangasem also commissioned ritual art. |
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