Asian Collections - Kamasan painting

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Asian Collection - Kamasan painting

Cloth painting by Pan Seken, Kamasan, Bali, Indonesia. Purchased from the artist and acquired for the Museum by Anthony Forge, 1976.

This painting, depicting the Bharatayuddha: Death of Abimanyu dates from the 1930s - 1940s and is created by the noted Kamasan artist, Pan Seken. Collected from the artist's family temple, it no doubt also served as a sample of his best work to show prospective customers. The painting, mostly in halus style with added gold leaf prada, tells the famous story of Abimanyu, the son of Arjuna, who had a hero's death.

While making a foray in which he successfully saved Dharmawangsa, Abimanyu was cut off and surrounded by the enemy. He was attacked by all the most experienced and famous warriors of the Korawa side. When he finally died he had one hundred arrows in him.

Here he is shown fighting on, even after his bow is severed. All around are his attackers: at the top right is Drona, with Duryodana behind him; and beneath them Sakuni, with his younger brother Sarabasa behind. At the top left, the attackers are Jayadarata with Karna behind; and Burisrawa and Dussusana below. At Abimanyu's feet, Laksana Kumara, a son of Duryodana, dies, having been hit by a discus. Across the bottom of the painting are six more Korawa who have been killed by Abimanyu - on the right are Kertasuta and Sakadurma, brothers of Duryodana, and Senjuruh, one of his ministers; and on the left, two more brothers of Duryodana, Kertasena and Durmasana, with a minister, Whartbala, behind. The lengthy text describes the action. Above the text the sun is about to be veiled by clouds, while to the right lightening flashes, and to the left is Dwaja, the thunderbolt of Abimanyu's grandfather, Indra.

This is a set piece by Kamasan's best artist of the period. It was painted at a difficult time, when traditional markets were uncertain and the 'new art' from Ubud was in the air. Nonetheless, it is totally traditional, and shows no signs of the experiments being made by some other Kamasan artists at this time, except that the artist put his major figure in the middle, and a tree on either side. This would be necessary anyway to provide enough space for the text.

Anthony Forge, Balinese Traditional Paintings, AM, Sydney, 1978.

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