Vintage Balinese Kamasan Wayang Narrative Cloth Painting (65.2 x 44 cm)
Specifications
Type: Original Traditional Balinese Cloth Painting (Kamasan Painting)
Medium: Natural pigments and ink on prepared cotton cloth
Style: Kamasan Wayang (Classical Balinese)
Origin: Bali, Indonesia (Framed in Hong Kong)
Frame: Original mid-century faux-bamboo wooden frame
Glass: Original vintage matte glare-reducing glass
Dimensions: 44 cm x 65.2 cm
Framing Label: Men Fong Picture Frame Maker, 41 Wellington Street, Hong Kong
About the Artwork
This exceptional work is a fine example of traditional Balinese Kamasan painting, a classical narrative art form deeply rooted in Hindu-Balinese mythology. Hand-painted on prepared cotton cloth using traditional mineral pigments, the composition is organized into two primary narrative tiers divided by stylized volcanic rock or mountain formations (karang):
Upper Scene: Features a gathering of mythological figures, including refined nobility and deities conversing under a sky filled with patterned wind and cloud motifs (eyebrow clouds).
Lower Scene: Illustrates an epic encounter next to a sacred tree, showcasing a central figure adorned in traditional attire alongside expressive, stylized clown-servants (Panakawan) at the base.
The piece is beautifully preserved in its original 20th-century faux-bamboo frame and fitted with glare-reducing matte glass. The back bears the genuine vintage gallery label from Men Fong Picture Frame Maker on Wellington Street, Hong Kong, confirming its provenance as a treasured mid-century collection piece.
About the Artist / Institution
Kamasan painting is a heritage craft native to the village of Kamasan in Klungkung, Bali, where lineages of painters have dedicated centuries to illustrating epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Rather than individual artistic expression, these works follow strict iconographic rules to preserve sacred visual narratives. This particular painting was collected and expertly framed during the mid-20th century by Men Fong Picture Frame Maker in Hong Kong, documenting the historic appreciation of Indonesian sacred art by international collectors.