A pair of large brass oil lamps, blencong.
Java (Indonesia), late 19th/early 20th century.
The blencong in the form of a Garuda (Hindu mythological bird) used to illuminate Wayang Kulit shadow puppet performances.
Beautiful large, heavily cast, chiseled, and engraved brass lamps in the form of the mythical Garuda bird. These lamps were an essential part of the Wayang Kulit or shadow puppet theater and were hung above the head of the puppeteer, dalang, behind the screen, kelir, to illuminate it so that the shadows of the leather-cut puppets would be projected onto the back of the screen—the side facing the audience.
The body serves as a reservoir for oil (often coconut oil) and a large spout extends from the chest of the Garuda, from which a flame would emerge to illuminate the Wayang screen.
Ref:
An identical blencong is in the British Museum collection, museum number: As1955,03.1
Height: 64 cm.
Inv. No: A00082
