Indonesian Ider-Ider or Banner, Depicting Village Life

A village unrolls in a single, very long line.

Singa Raja artists of Singaraja, Bali, Indonesia, painted this ider-ider, or banner, on cotton in the early 20th century. Banners of this type are commonly hung along the eaves of temples and pavilions in Bali, where they carry narrative scenes. Here small figures, trees, birds and houses are strung out across a pale, weathered ground in muted ochres, reds and greens. A staircase climbs the right end. The cloth has toned to the color of tea, with soft creases along the length and a dotted border along the lower edge.

A long horizontal for a long wall. Reads like a storybook someone forgot to close.