Visual analysis of giant characters in wayang kulit purwa based on character traits

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Published: Jun 23, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33153/dewaruci.v21i1.6776
Keywords:
Wayang kulit purwa, Giant Characters, Visual analysis, Character Traits, Face Postures

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Herliyana Rosalinda
Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta, Jawa Tengah
Sunarmi Sunarmi
Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta, Jawa Tengah
Sarwanto Sarwanto
Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta, Jawa Tengah
Budi Setiyono
Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta, Jawa Tengah

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between character traits and visual form in giant characters of wayang kulit purwa. The research aims to identify how specific visual elements function as symbolic markers of character traits and to examine whether these visual indicators operate consistently across narrative contexts. This study employs a qualitative descriptive research design using a visual iconographic approach. Primary data consist of visual observations and photographic documentation of selected giant characters, focusing on facial features (eyes, nose, mouth), facial orientation, head posture (langak, longok, and tumungkul), body posture, and ornamentation. Secondary data were obtained from wayang performance scripts, scholarly literature, and expert interviews. Data were analyzed through comparative visual interpretation and contextual narrative analysis. The findings reveal that giant characters can be categorized into four primary character traits: galak (fierce), bengis (savage), licik (cunning), and kuthuk (docile). Each category is generally associated with specific combinations of facial features and head postures. However, the study also identifies significant visual contradictions, in which similar facial orientations represent different character traits depending on narrative role and social classification. Notably, triwikrama transformations and lower-status giants such as Buta Setanan demonstrate that facial orientation does not function as a fixed moral indicator but as a contextual visual expression shaped by hierarchy and dramaturgical function. This study contributes to wayang visual studies by demonstrating that the visual system of giant characters operates as a flexible and relational symbolic framework rather than a rigid typology. By emphasizing visual exceptions and contextual variation, this research extends wayangiconographic studies from descriptive classification toward interpretive visual analysis. The findings offer theoretical contributions to visual semiotics in traditional performance arts and practical implications for contemporary character design and cultural preservation

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Vol. 21 No. 1 (2026)
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Articles
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