Java Gold: Pracht und Schönheit Indonesiens at Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen Mannheim
JAVA GOLD
Pracht und Schönheit Indonesiens
September 15, 2019 — April 13, 2020
Java — deep rainforests, dangerous volcanoes and mysterious temples. For over 1,000 years, the Indonesian island world was home to powerful Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms. Timelessly beautiful jewelery and cult objects lend testimony to their time honored glory and artistry. They are made from the material that has captivated people for millennia — gold.
The exhibition presents around 400 unique treasures as a fascinating kaleidoscope of Hindu and Buddhist craftsmanship. Golden masterpieces, such as rings, bracelets and chokers, as well as impressive tiaras, were often reserved for specific groups, strata or life phases.
These ritual and ceremonially significant works bear witness to a society in which power, religious claims and beauty were expressed through gold objects. Most of the treasures presented in this exhibition derive from a private collection and can now be seen in public for the very first time.