Factors Shaping the Representation of Power and Global Multiculturalism in the Ornaments of Puri Agung Karangasem

Abstract

This study examines the strategic incorporation of European architectural ornamentation in Puri Agung Karangasem as a means through which the Karangasem monarchy engaged with the shifting political landscape of the early twentieth century. Rather than viewing Balinese architecture as a homogeneous cultural form, the research demonstrates that the palace complex embodies a deliberate synthesis of Balinese spatial principles and Western aesthetic elements introduced during the colonial period. This hybrid visual configuration is interpreted as a mode of cultural diplomacy that enabled the ruling elite to negotiate political legitimacy and articulate modernity within the hierarchical structure of Dutch colonial governance. Through visual analysis and historical contextualization, the study argues that European-inspired motifs were mobilized not merely as decorative additions but as symbolic instruments that mediated power relations, projected cosmopolitan identity, and framed the monarchy’s engagement with global cultural flows. The findings contribute to broader discussions on architectural hybridity, colonial modernity, and the role of visual culture in shaping political narratives.