museum of folly | stuff and nonsense

7 museum of folly

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Indonesian Jester Puppets, perhaps 19th c.

Historical, Indonesia

central java indoenisa wayang colek rod puppet jesters or clowns

Indonesia, Tegal, Central Java
Wood, cloth, and mixed media
via Asian Art Museum; From the Mimi and John Herbert Collection

Jesters or clowns are among the most popular figures in the folk puppet traditions of Java, Indonesia. The rod puppets (wanage golek) — not to be confused with the more aristocratic shadow puppets (wayang kulit) — are made of brightly painted, carved wood, and are often dressed in batik clothing and bedecked with sequins and beads.

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