barongan masks from Java

Three barongan masks from Java
Even today on predominantly Moslem Java, the high, cold, Dieng Plateau is a scared place and in the villages trance dances are performed with a variety of animal masks. The mask (topeng) is held over a fire to draw the spirit of the animal into it and to bring the dancer under it's power. The barongan masks shown above represent orge-type characters.
Court dramas are more formalized and usually celebrate the lives and exploits of the Javanese royalty. Masks from these dramas are the kind most frequently seen today in museum collections and in the palace collections of the Kratons in Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo). Informal versions of these place stories and others of Hindu origin such as episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, are performed by traveling troupes in the Javanese countryside. The masks are relatively simple in the Javanese tradition of emphasizing restraint.

wooden masks from Java

Two older wooden masks from Java
The Balinese perform a constant calendar of ceremonies in keeping with their Hindu traditions. One of the most famous masked dances is that of the confrontation between Rangda, the widow witch, and the Barong, who resembles a small Chinese dragon. Other performances are based on stories of the royal courts, and usually have their clown elements, just as the English Elizabethan dramas do.
/strong>A village drama frequently goes on all night with the villagers informally coming and going, eating, laughing when the comic characters make jokes at the expense of local people and enjoying the story which they have all known since childhood. Ceremonies happen all day in Bali, beginning with the twice a day offerings put out for the good and evil spirits.

balinese mask

Three Balinese masks

Family workshops on both Bali and Java produce masks ranging from the papier mâché folk festival of Muhammad masks from Java, which are sold by paddlers on the street, to extremely fine and sacred masks with many layers of delicate painting made by famous master craftsmen for use in court or temple ceremonies.
The Balinese carve many elaborately detailed wooden masks with a wide variety of forms, reflecting the Hindu belief that everything has an active spirit. The mask maker drys the wood and, after the carving is finished, an undercoat of white gesso is applied with the colored paints applied on top. Metallic foils are used for accents.
Javanese masks from the villages are exuberant and strong. These masks are usually painted with ordinary paint, rather than laqcuered. Horsehair is used for mustaches and beards, glass or mirrors may be used for eyes, tire rubber may form ears or straps. Masks which have been used for awhile will acquire a dark patina on the inside, even if the front has been repainted. Sometimes there is a back cross-brace where the performer grips the mask with his tThree Balinese masks

Family workshops on both Bali and Java produce masks ranging from the papier mâché folk festival of Muhammad masks from Java, which are sold by paddlers on the street, to extremely fine and sacred masks with many layers of delicate painting made by famous master craftsmen for use in court or temple ceremonies.
The Balinese carve many elaborately detailed wooden masks with a wide variety of forms, reflecting the Hindu belief that everything has an active spirit. The mask maker drys the wood and, after the carving is finished, an undercoat of white gesso is applied with the colored paints applied on top. Metallic foils are used for accents.
Javanese masks from the villages are exuberant and strong. These masks are usually painted with ordinary paint, rather than laqcuered. Horsehair is used for mustaches and beards, glass or mirrors may be used for eyes, tire rubber may form ears or straps. Masks which have been used for awhile will acquire a dark patina on the inside, even if the front has been repainted. Sometimes there is a back cross-brace where the performer grips the mask with his t