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拍品专文
Hendra Gunawan's iconic portrayal of the female figure is unique, distinctive, and immediately recognizable. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful examples of female portraiture in the history of Indonesian modern art, Hendra's women are ravishing images that have been rendered with care and respect. The artist's muse is not a specific person but rather he drew inspiration from the many women he knew in the community. Importantly, the woman was a reflection of Hendra Gunawan's artistic cosmos, and was a means for expressing his nationalistic concerns and love for his country.
Hendra's obsession with all things Indonesian finds a perfect expression with this subject. If she was breastfeeding a baby with her strong, masculine feet rooted firmly to the ground, she was a symbol of the artist's beloved motherland, the young republic of Indonesia. If she was depicted in glorious colours, dressed in the finest traditional batik, she would be the symbol of the great Javanese culture that was close to the artist's heart. If she was placed in a grandiose landscape with which she could almost merge as one entity with her curvaceous body, which Hendra had intended to be reminiscent of the dramatic landscape, she would be the embodiment of all things that are beautiful and Indonesian. Hers was the privileged body on which light fell onto and made perfect.
The present lot, Wanita Menyusui Anak (Lot 117) is hence an exemplary work in encapsulating all of the themes that Hendra Gunwan was concerned with. A finely detailed painting from the delicate batik clothes of the central female figure, to the spritely child on her lap, Wanita Menyusui Anak is exceptional in the precision with which Hendra Gunawan has rendered his whimsical characters. A rarity in depicting not one, but three female figures, Gunawan presents us with multiple representations of the motherland. The theatrical setting by a beach surrounds the women with a dramatic wind that casts the viewer's gaze into the endless horizon where sky meets land and sea. Characteristic of Hendra Gunwan's oeuvre as well as unique in its exceptional execution, Wanita Menyusui Anak is a truly exquisite example of the artist's vision.
Hendra's obsession with all things Indonesian finds a perfect expression with this subject. If she was breastfeeding a baby with her strong, masculine feet rooted firmly to the ground, she was a symbol of the artist's beloved motherland, the young republic of Indonesia. If she was depicted in glorious colours, dressed in the finest traditional batik, she would be the symbol of the great Javanese culture that was close to the artist's heart. If she was placed in a grandiose landscape with which she could almost merge as one entity with her curvaceous body, which Hendra had intended to be reminiscent of the dramatic landscape, she would be the embodiment of all things that are beautiful and Indonesian. Hers was the privileged body on which light fell onto and made perfect.
The present lot, Wanita Menyusui Anak (Lot 117) is hence an exemplary work in encapsulating all of the themes that Hendra Gunwan was concerned with. A finely detailed painting from the delicate batik clothes of the central female figure, to the spritely child on her lap, Wanita Menyusui Anak is exceptional in the precision with which Hendra Gunawan has rendered his whimsical characters. A rarity in depicting not one, but three female figures, Gunawan presents us with multiple representations of the motherland. The theatrical setting by a beach surrounds the women with a dramatic wind that casts the viewer's gaze into the endless horizon where sky meets land and sea. Characteristic of Hendra Gunwan's oeuvre as well as unique in its exceptional execution, Wanita Menyusui Anak is a truly exquisite example of the artist's vision.