Lee Man Fong

The work is in good condition overall. There are indications of minor wear and handling around the edges. Under ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. The board is free from cracking and warping. The color of the phyiscal painting has a more earthy tone than illustrated in the catalouge. Framed.
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Lee Man Fong has firmly established himself as a seminal figure in Southeast Asian painting. Much of the artist’s oeuvre was influenced by, and features prominently, the culture and people of Indonesia. The young Balinese woman portrayed in The Spinner is a favourite motif, and one most often associated with his paintings documenting rural life. Women deep in activity, unaware of the external eye, were Lee Man Fong’s celebrated female archetype throughout his illustrious career.

The present painting perfectly exemplifies this relationship. Concentrating on her spinner, the young woman exists within her own world, her attention towards the loom and the task at hand. It is an intimate scene, and yet the moment becomes increasingly compelling as the young weaver continues to look away.

His fascination with domesticity, and the security it promised, was a response to the tension surrounding the Persagi (Persatuan Ahli-ahli Gambar Indonesia) and Indische-Holland kunstkring community. Lee Man Fong’s paintings were a deliberate divorce from his environment. He desired a quiet aesthetics as seen in his works, images that are innocent from revolutions, existing within a harmonious frame.

Lee Man Fong embraced the Chinese principle “Breath, Resonance, Life, Motion” (Chi Yun Sheng Tung) within his portraits. He sought to capture an individual’s spirit (Shen) through their posture, rather than through a formal likeness. Therefore the young weaver’s kneeling position, the delicate curve of her hand holding the thread, her downward gaze, all serve as vehicle for transmitting such ideals.

The stylized flora references classical Chinese landscape painting. By adopting a shifting perspective within the composition, Lee Man Fong further emphasized the presence of the young weaver. Her vibrant clothes and richly hued instruments become more inviting, as the tree slowly retreats back into the foreground.

However it is the appreciation of feminine beauty, and the use of color, that point to the artist’s Western influences. The Spinner draws inspiration from the artwork of Dutch artist Willem Hofker, whose sensual portraits of Balinese women redefined the traditional nude. Like his contemporary, Lee Man Fong’s females are idealized representations of local women.

The Spinner is an excellent portrayal of the artist’s respect towards the feminine. Untouched, and alone, the young woman commands an ageless world that is separate from the penetrating gaze of the viewer. With her loom and thread, she is witness to what once was.