Klungkung

Fighting Pollution

The super, unique painting of Kerta Gosa have been restored several time. The last restoration in the 1989 was performed using acrylic colours. The natural dyes used previously have been muted considerably by the effect of the busy Klungkung streets.



Located on the corner next to Jl. Puputan, Kerta Gosa is an open bale on the stage, with amazing painted ceilings. Before the Dutch invasion, the king his priests would meet there to discuss important matters. It was letter used as a court, and it is said that the six chairs in the hall symbolize the position of Brahmana priest, the king , two court clerks, a judge, and a Dutch representative. Inspired from the Mahabharata, the paintings were supposed to stir the accused by illustrating the horrifying punishments awaiting wrongdoers in hell, and the rewards awaiting the good in heaven. The technique follows the unique and elaborate style of Kamasan wayang paintings.

Built in the middle of the complex, the Bale Kambang also features painted ceilings from Kamasan artists, inspired by Balinese folklore. The most picturesque illustrate the folk tale of Pan and Men Brayut, a hopelessly poor couple who spent their time fighting and reconciling with passion, and thus ended up with 18 children. The popular story has often been used by local family-planning-programmes.

For amateur historians, the Semaranjaya Museum , at the back of the spacious grounds, displays photographs of the Klungkung royal family, old newspapers relating to the puputan wars, and other remnants of Dutch Colonization.

Painting and Crafts around Klungkung

Kamasan Village and the Art Centre

Kamasan is the centre of the classical wayang painting style, which depicts scenes inspired from traditional shadow-puppet shows, or wayang, based on the Mahabharata or Ramayana epics. Like their model puppets, the characters are painted in three-quarter profiles, and angular poses, and originally used natural dyes in nuances of red, ochre, blue, green, and black. As is often the case in Bali , they are collective rather that individual creations: the main artist does the sketch, another does the painting, and others finish the fine details.