Gold from Java

Gold jewellery played a large role in the Javanese Court culture. The precious material was even granted a divine power, something also reflected in the way in which the pieces are decorated. Monsters, demons and other aggressive headlines are believed to bring the wearer happiness and protect them from evil forces. The starting point of this publication is the beautiful gold jewellery collection of the Gemeentemuseum The Hague. Supplemented by other striking examples from the National Collection of the Netherlands, Gold from Java creates a fascinating picture of the meaning and use of the early Javanese ornament. This is the first time that the history of this Hindu-Buddhist jewellery is presented in such a way. AUTHOR: Pauline Lunsingh Scheurleer has been the curator for the art of South and Southeast Asia and head of the Department of Asian art at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Preferred areas for research are sculpture and applied art of the Indonesian Hindu-Buddhist period, in particular gold objects, and the history of the collection of Asian art by Europeans, in particular Dutch. ILLUSTRATIONS: 60 colour s10 b/w illustrations