National Gallery of Indonesia
Permanent Exhibition
If we are talking about gallery, of course always there is National
Gallery of Indonesia as my top of mind. There are permanent and temporary
exhibition, which temporary exhibitions held packed with one full year schedule
in here. Due to highly standard selection, it is always said really difficult
to conduct the exhibition even to display the artwork.
Based on data from
the National Gallery of Indonesia website, the building which has a Dutch colonial
architecture which was officially opened in 1999 has been used for a Special
Dormitory for women.
At present the
National Gallery of Indonesia has around 1785 collections of artworks by
Indonesian and foreign artists, including ; Raden Saleh, Hendra Gunawan,
Affandi, S. Sudjojono, Basoeki Abdullah, Barli Sasmitawi Nata, Trubus, Popo
Iskandar, Ahmad Sadali, Nashar, Soedarsono, Sunaryo, Amrus Natalsya, Hardi,
Heri Dono, Dede Eri Supria, Ivan Sagita, FX. Harsono, Lucia Hartini, Irlantine
Karnaya, Hendrawan Kanaryo, Nyoman Gunarsa, Made Wiyanti, Ida Bagus Made, I
Ketut Soki, Wassily Kandinsky (Russia), Hans Hartung (Germany), Victor
Vassarely (Hungary), Sonia Delauney (Ukraine), Pierre Saulages (France), Zao
Wou Ki (China).
How many artists
are you familiar with? Or even already greatly admire their artworks?
For this time we will more explore about the permanent
exhibition. We will enjoying many types of artwork made by several type of
materials. So here we go!
Friedrich Carl
Albert Schreuel (1773 – 1853)
Portrait of Raden
Saleh Sjarief Boestaman (1840)
Reproduction from
the Rijksmuseum Collection, Netherlands
Here is the first artwork that captivate me with Raden Saleh
portrait. Raden Saleh could not be separated with Indonesian artwork as a painter.
In this portrait depicted that Raden Saleh was painting with European style
looked from his wardrobe and epic hair style. We could see he was sitting on
while ocean painting progress of nature theme with “half of frame” out of the
real frame. His left hand was holding on pallet and the right one with a lot of
kind paint brushes. It is looked interesting that on 19th century
had resulted this kind of great artwork.
Andries Beeckman
(1628 – 1664)
The Castle of
Batavia (1661)
Reproduction from
the Rijksmuseum Collection, Netherlands
Andries Beeckman was 17th century Dutch painter.
He was very famous for his paintings of Southeast Asia and Batavia. The first
object on the paint that captured my attention was the coconut trees. There is
a lot of coconut trees, can you guess how many people on the coconut tree? The
people there looked really camouflaged into one with the tree. Under the tree
there are a lot of people that perhaps on traditional market situation. On the
center of the portrait there is a couple walking around with a slave using an
umbrella following them. When many people assume the main function of an
umbrella to protect someone from the rain, the interest fact is the umbrella was
first created to protect someone from the solar thermal. Furthermore, I was
wondering regarding the background of the painting that it could be either the castle
or the harbor in Batavia. Then for the sky gradation color, it looked the
painter thoughtful the details for it carefully.
Basoeki Abdullah
(1915 – 1993)
Siblings (1978)
Oil on Canvas (65 x
79 Cm)
Basoeki Abdullah, I always feel excited when heard one of
Indonesian maestro painter’s name. He is more special for me because my thesis
theme regarding his 100th year celebration. That temporary
exhibition was one of the best temporary exhibition I’ve ever visited. Back to
Basoeki Abdullah, he was painter which well-known of beautification art. Many
popular figures ever asked him personally to paint their self-portrait. From
artist, government, until Bhumibol Adulyadej (king of Thailand) and Juliana (queen
of Netherland through the contest in the order of coronation) became some of
his masterpiece. His relationship with Soekarno which is the first president of
Indonesia is also interesting topic to be discuss.
Even though he was well-known for his beautification art, he
even joined Java theatrical art and ever tried painting with nature theme. But
perhaps the quote ever said “You will
have one specialization that truly shows who you are” is right. His family
said his beautification art was his specialization. I’ve ever several times
visited Basoeki Abdullah Museum and from my point of view, his nature paintings
are also amazing. His art blood couldn’t be denied, he is the grandson of one
of Indonesia's national hero (Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo). FYI, his former house
became museum in South Jakarta area since 2001.
Actually, before I realized this painting was made by
Basoeki Abdullah, I ever saw several times this artwork in some places. Elder
sister carry pickaback her younger brother. The background made me feel the
simplicity, the gradation color looked perfectly matched with their facial
expression and moreover I was wondering regarding the siblings facial
expression. What were they thinking about? What’s the real situation happened
when Basoeki Abdullah was painting this artwork? What type of wardrobe they
wore on the 20th century? I still have several questions on my mind.
Nicolaas Pieneman
(1809 – 1860)
The Submission of
Prince Dipo Negoro to General De Kock (1830 – 1835)
Reproduction from
the Rijksmuseum Collection, Netherlands
This portrait and the forward portrait has a strong
relationship even though the painter are different person and the time of
artworks made in a wide range around 22 years. The background place of the
artwork perhaps one of the Netherland’s office it could be looked from there is
Netherland’s flag, the great symbol of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the
top of the main door, and the hanging glass lamps on the building. Based on the
portrait’s title, from Nicolaas Pieneman point of view Prince Diponegoro surrender
to the colonial without any resistance and there are a lot of commoners came
with feeling of deep sorrow to appreciate Prince Diponegoro. Moreover, many
Netherland soldier were coming to fetch Prince Diponegoro to somewhere. FYI,
the attribute of Prince Diponegoro ever taken away to Netherland after this
situation. Finally, the original attributes now display on National Museum of
Indonesia after we had bilateral and diplomatic relations.
Raden Saleh (1811 –
1880)
The Arrest of
Prince Diponegoro (1857)
Reproduction from
the Presidential Palace Collection, Indonesia
This painting, considered to be Raden Saleh’s masterpiece,
is depicting the event in which the Dutch betrayed Prince Diponegoro, an event
that ended the Java War in 1830. The Prince was persuaded to come to Magelang
in order to discuss the possibility of a truce, but the Dutch failed to fulfill
his safety guarantee. Diponegoro was arrested. At the time, Nicolas Pieneman, a
Dutch painter, had preceded Raden Saleh in creating a painting based on the
event, commissioned by General de Kock. Raden Saleh presumably saw Pieneman’s
painting when he was living in Europe. Disagreeing with Pieneman’s depiction,
Raden Saleh made a number of significant changes in his version. Pieneman
painted the event from the right, while Raden Saleh from the left. While
Pieneman painted Diponegoro with a listless and submissive facial expression,
Raden Saleh painted a stern and indignant expression of the Prince. While
Pieneman gave his painting the title Penyerahan Diri Diponegoro (which
translates as the submission of Diponegoro), Raden Saleh chose the title
Penangkapan Pangeran Diponegoro (The Arrest of Prince Diponegoro). Saleh also
intentionally painted the Dutch characters with slightly oversized heads, so
they look more horrific. The presented the painting to King Willem III in Den
Haag. It was returned to Indonesia in 1978 – as a realization of a cultural
agreement between Indonesia and the Netherlands in 1969, which regarded the
return of Indonesia’s cultural items, which were taken, lent, or exchanged to the
Dutch in the previous eras.
Affandi (1907 –
1990)
Mother (1941)
Oil on Canvas (52 x
43 Cm)
Another Indonesian maestro painter artwork that displaying
in the National Gallery of Indonesia. This painting was one of the earliest
works to be acquired as a collection of the Ministry of Education, Teaching,
and Culture (now the Ministry of Education and Culture) in 1948. Affandi
demonstrated his skill in realist portraits at the beginning of his career
before turning towards impressionism and expressionism. In this painting we can
observe brush strokes and small details that have succeeded in forming a figure
of a mother who looks old, crossing her arms on her shoulders with a gaze and
facial expression that tends to be sad yet still looks calm due to the pastel
color of her clothes. Her hair is slightly dangling and doesn’t look like a
smile from her lips then additional with the facial wrinkles, showing this
portrait made in natural poses and angles. Affandi had great attention and love
for his mother, he often painted his mother’s figure in several other works
such as ‘Mother Inside the Room” (1949), and “Angry Mother” (1960). FYI, Affandi
Koesoema’s Museum located in Yogyakarta and unfortunately I could not visit due
to this museum is closed on Sunday.
Dullah (1919 –
1996)
My Wife (1953)
Oil on Canvas (102
x 83 Cm)
My first opinion when saw this portrait was the authentic
beauty of Indonesian women. Of course when Dullah was painting his wife he was
really understood his wife. What I mean, the facial expression and texture are
really lively whoever saw it I think especially the part of the eye and eyebrow.
Wearing kebaya (Indonesian
traditional clothes), sanggul (Indonesian
bun hair style) while was holding the folding fan with flower pattern and the footwear looked really familiar for me. We will
easily found this style on Indonesian wedding ceremonial party especially for
family of the brides and invited guests. The background simplify the atmosphere
and there are several new and blank frames that such as the identical if there
was a painter perhaps was living there. Beautiful wife and of course beautiful
portrait.
I II III IV
V VI VII VIII
IX X XI XII
I. Balinese Dancer (33 x 14,5 cm)
II. Flower Vase (34 x 14 cm)
III. Artist and Art (17,5 x 16 cm)
IV. Heading Home from the Market (28 x 16,7 cm)
V. Good and Evil (25 x 30 cm)
VI. Sacred Weapon (31 x 19 cm)
VII. Motherland (22,5 x 16 cm)
VIII. Indonesian Independence (26 x 31,5 cm)
IX. Mosque (32,5 x 24 cm)
X. Cockatoo Bird (31 x 16,5 cm)
XI. Solo Bird (30,5 x 15,5 cm)
XII. Elephant Couple (32 x 25 cm)
Oesman Effendi (1919 – 1985)
Woodcut on Paper (1962)
Black, white, dark blue colors. That’s what I thought when I
saw this painting collection. Black and white as main color of the paintings
and dark blue as the wall background color that fulfill one to each other with
those paintings. The whole set of artworks made me feel more about Indonesian
culture. The unique thing is Oesman Effendi created his great artwork with
woodcut on paper which is not common as long as I visited the art exhibitions.
Dolorosa Sinaga
(1953)
Solidarity (2000)
Bronze (83 x 100 x
28 Cm)
This sculpture shows a group of women holding hands and
standing next to each other. A woman on the far left raised her fist to the air
passionately. In the line of women, there is a pregnant woman, a woman’s disposition
as a mother. The deformed female figures are a strong expressionist message.
Solidarity embodies Dolorosa Sinaga’s concern for women issues. Through her
works, she wants to represent women as the custodian of life – within their
frailty, they contain perpetual energy.
What do you think about the last photo and National Gallery
of Indonesia? Put on your comment below then see you on the next post, thank
you for reading & have a nice day!
For
further information :
National
Gallery of Indonesia
Jl. Medan Merdeka
Timur No. 14, Jakarta 10110
+6221-381-3021
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Reference :
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