Affandi’s Sitor Situmorang Property of a Gentleman Lot #169

Affandi’s Sitor Situmorang

Property of a Gentleman

Lot #169

This unique portrait of Indonesian literary figure Sitor Situmorang by the maestro Affandi originates from a limited art collection of a gentleman living in South Jakarta. While he did not collect many works of art, he had paintings from important artists such as Mochtar Apin, Affandi, Henk Ngantung and even an early painting by Dede Eri Supria. Henk Ngantung’s Di Bangku Sekolah (lot #066 in this auction) also comes from this collection

            The collector was quite a good friend of Mochtar Apin as well as Sitor Situmorang. He had always wanted to have a painting by Affandi in his collection. However, Affandi’s paintings were sold at prices he was not yet able to afford at the time. Therefore, he immediately jumped at the opportunity to acquire this portrait of his friend. Certainly portraits were considerably lower in price than other more popular paintings by the maestro.

            Following the passing of Sitor Situmorang, the collector thought it was also time to part with the painting, so as to give an opportunity for other young collectors to be able to purchase a painting by Affandi at a price that is within reach of their budget. Indeed, as an auction house one of our functions is to find art works that have been in a collection for often long, long periods of time, brand new homes where they can continue to be enjoyed.

From the Collection of a Statesman Lots #042-046

From the Collection of a Statesman 

Lots #042-046

Five paintings in this set originally came from the collection of a statesman who was among the first who aspired to present his collections in a museum.  The museum opened following the passing away of the statesman in 1984, but unfortunately by the mid-1990s the collections had started to disappear.

A catalog of the museum’s main painting collection of Indonesian masters was published in 1979.  While the paintings offered in this auction are not from the main collection of the museum, apparently apart from his collection of Indonesian masters, the statesman also collected paintings by younger, lesser-known artists. He seemed to have a particular interest in paintings that depicted historical/political themes.

            History can not be Forgotten (1968) by Agustin Sibarani (Pematang Siantar, N. Sumatra , 1925 – Depok, W. Java 2014) seems to depict a particular episode from the 1945-49 Revolutionary War, which he experienced as a young man. Unfortunately it is unclear exactly what incident he depicted. However the painting hopefully will be able to monumentalize its history as the artist intended. Later during his lifetime, he became better known as a political caricaturist.

            An unsigned painting from the collection depicts another enigmatic scene that also seems to be related to the war, while a painting by Ismail shows an Indonesian soldier helping his wounded comrade, during the war, reminding people that war is often not about winning battles heroically, but rather about humanity and solidarity.

            The two other paintings in this set seem to be a reflection of how Indonesia has progressed since the 1945 Proclamation of Independence. A symbolic painting, Zainal Soetanto’s Pelangi Mati (1983) seems to be painted in reaction to ethnic and political tensions that happened in Indonesia in the early 1980s. Through the painting, the artist seems to be making a statement that diversity has been neglected to wither away in the landscape of the nation.

Meanwhile, Suatmadji’s Hormat Panglima seems to be a cynical political statement about a nation that is being led by politics, away from the values of life and humanity. Suatmadji (Yogyakarta, 1952-2014) was a member of the revolutionary Gerakan Seni Rupa Baru (New Art Movement) of the 1970s.

            These five paintings from the collection of a prominent Indonesian statesman actually shape an important part of the development of Indonesia’s art history.

Top Lots in SIdharta Auctioneer's Fine Art Auction, November 1st, 2015 at the Kunstkring Jakarta, Indonesia

lot #183 | Hendra Gunawan | Tukang Es Puter | oil on canvas | 149 x 69 cm

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lot #140 | Basoeki Abdullah | Nude with Child | oil on canvas | 94 x 80 cm

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lot #169 | Affandi | Sitor Situmorang, 1976| oil on canvas | 60 x 48 cm

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lot #090 | Gregorius Sidharta Sugiyo | Crucifix | forged steel | h: 55cm

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lot #089 | Gregorius Sidharta Sugiyo | Abstract Figures 1960 | oil on canvas | 120 x 72 cm

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lot #064 | Henk Ngantung | Kapuas Kalimantan | oil on canvas | 110 x 120 cm

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lot #125 | Alimin | Plebon 1961

 | oil on canvas | 100 x 140 cm

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lot #077 | Arifien "Neif" | I don't Know Why I love You

 | oil on canvas | 45 x 50 cm

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lot #008 | Irsam | Ibu dan Anak | oil on canvas | 150 x 105 cm

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Contemporary Art

lot #150 | Eddie Hara | Crowded Universe  2002| oil on canvas | 195 x 70 cm

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lot #167 | Tommy Wondra | Potret Intuisi | oil on canvas | 200 x 250 cm

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lot #162 | Tisna Sanjaya | Wilujeng Sumping 2001 | oil on canvas | 100 x 100 cm

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lot #168 | Vani Hidayatur Rahman | Unity 2013 | oil on canvas | 120 x 150 cm 

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Property of a Gentleman (from the collection of a relative of the painter and Governor of Jakarta, Henk Ngantung), Lots #061-065

Property of a Gentleman

Lots #061-065

In Sidharta's Fine Art Auction on November 1st, 2015, we present paintings that have been sourced from the collection of a relative of the painter and Governor of Jakarta, Henk Ngantung.

In the collection there are paintings by Yoshioka (lot #062) and Yamamoto (lot #063), two Japanese artists who were active at the Keimin Bunka Shidoso, the cultural agency during the Japanese Occupation of Indonesia from 1942-1945. Yoshioka’s painting of flowers and Yamamoto’s Landscape show expressive qualities that may have influenced Indonesian artists at the time. Unfortunately no further information about the artists are available.

Two paintings by Henk Ngantung are also among the pieces in the collection. Kapuas Kalimantan  (lot #064) dates from 1951, while the painting of a duck herder (lot #065), although unsigned and undated, also dates from the 1950s. Another Ngantung painting, not part of this collection, is also offered in this sale (lot #066) and dates earlier, from 1947.

Also in this collection a curious, unsigned painting of a woman with headdress, most likely Balinese. The style of the painting is reminiscent of a couple of artists who was active in the 1950-60s in Bali, however the artist responsible for this work remains uncertain.