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The village of Kamasan in the kingdom of Klungkung in
east Bali became the centre for traditional Balinese painting. Originally,
the Kamasan artists served the kings of Gelgel from the 16th century.
Kamasan is only about 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) from Gelgel, where the
court reigned during Bali’s golden age.
The unique ‘wayang’ style of painting was Bali’s only
form of pictorial representation until the 20th century when the Western
artists arrived in central Bali and influenced artists to paint realistic
scenes of everyday life. Both styles still exist.
Subject-matter
The subject-matter tends to come from the Ramayana and Mahabarata epic
stories, frequently battle scenes and especially the story of Rama,
Sita and Rawana. They are like picture books, which are read and examined
closely, and no part of the ‘canvas’ is left empty. There
are gods, demons, birds, flames, bushes, trees and mythical animals.
Sometimes there is writing on the paintings. Time is shown by depicting
the same characters at different stages in the story. They can be several
metres long and half a metre wide.
The Language of Paintings
Animal heads are usually shown in profile and humans
in three-quarters view. Shoulders and chest face the spectator, and
legs and feet are pictured from the side, one behind the other as if
walking. Noble characters have long thin arms and legs, delicate hands
with curved fingers, narrow straight noses and smiling mouths. Coarse
characters have large nostrils. Gestures show emotions.
Noble male eyes have the top part of the eye curved and the bottom part
a straight line. For females, it is the reverse. The female eye appears
demure and shy and very feminine. Demons’ eyes and noses are at
a three-quarter angle but the mouth is in profile. Eyebrows are arched
for the refined and touch at the top of the nose. The unrefined have
two small lines for wrinkes. Demons’ eyebrows end in fangs.
Refined lips are thin and graceful with white, straight teeth. Coarse
characters and animals have large mouths and pointed teeth. Demons have
fangs. Refined males do not have beards. Moustaches indicate virility
and strength. Coarse characters have hair sprouting from their faces.
Animals and demons are hairy.
The right hand is active, the unclean left is still. Jewelry indicates
rank. The gods and nobles wear bangles and bracelets on their arms and
ankles and their costumes are decorated with flowers.
Colour
Colour indicates character: the faces of gods and refined
alus humans are light brown or beige, while rough kasar characters are
brown and red. Size matters. The most powerful, oldest and highest in
rank are also the biggest.
Kamasan Painting 1
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 64 cm, width 44 cm
Order Number: KPAINT1
Kamasan Painting 2
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 64 cm, width 44 cm
Order Number: KPAINT2
Kamasan Painting 3
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 63.5 cm, width 43.5 cm
Order Number: KPAINT3
Kamasan Painting 4
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 66 cm, width 45 cm
Order Number: KPAINT4
Kamasan Painting 5
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 87 cm, width 63 cm
Order Number: KPAINT5
Background: Note the faces in quarter profile, the tear-drop
filler motifs, the trees which indicate and divide people in conversation,
the stylized brown rocks at the bottom of the painting, and the lack
of background and perspective. The border ressembles a carved wooden
frame next to an inner red stripe. These are all characteristic of traditional
Kamasan style.
Kamasan Painting 6
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 87 cm, width 61 cm
Order Number: KPAINT6
Kamasan Painting 7
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 87 cm, width 64 cm
Order Number: KPAINT7
Kamasan Painting 8
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 84 cm, width 63 cm
Order Number: KPAINT8
Kamasan Painting 9
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 87 cm, width 64 cm
Order Number: KPAINT9
Kamasan Painting 10
Material: Canvas, acrylic paint
Style: Bali
Size: Length 95 cm, width 85 cm
