Adrien Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès

The work is in good condition overall, as is the paper, which is free from foxing, creases and tears. There is indication of minor wear and handling along the margins and subtle undulations of the sheet inherent to the artist's working method. A miniscule hole in the form of a slit is located on the right arm of the left maiden. Upon close observation shows a faint line of abrasion below the arm of the statue on the right lower register, as well as two gentle scratches next to the right maiden on the small statue in the background. Under ultraviolet light inspection, there is no evidence of retouching. This work is accompanied by the original frame of the artist. Framed, under Plexiglas.
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Throughout his oeuvre the artist Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès has sought to portray what he deems to be beautiful within the narratives of his works. This commitment to a chosen aesthetic, as well as appreciation for his natural surroundings, has gifted Le Mayeur’s works with a special intimacy. This is evident in the present collection of works on paper by the Belgian artist, for these five pieces are reflective of the favored themes that populated his works, predominantly the quiet presence of the artist’s wife and muse Ni Wayan Pollok Tjoeglik (also known as Ni Pollok). Within Le Mayeur’s oeuvre she exists as the epitome of womanhood, but more importantly, it is she who defines and inspires the landscapes of the artworks.

Working as a photographer during World War I afforded Le Mayeur the opportunity to travel around the European and Asian territories. As an admirer of fellow European artists such as Walter Spies and Rudolph Bonnet, he was encouraged to visit Indonesia from the stories he heard, and the artworks he saw dedicated to the country. In 1932, Le Mayeur arrived to Bali in his mid-fifties, and continued to live on the island until his passing 26 years later.

Le Mayeur’s paper works present the viewer with an intimate view into the artist’s creative process, for the figures that inhabit each scene reference similar postures and expressions found in the oil paintings. Woman Working At A Loom (Lot 424) and Dancing Ni Pollok (Lot 422) both demonstrate the artist’s intuitive understanding of the human form. In these works Ni Pollok embodies the composition with her physical presence, and it is her actions that guide the narratives. These two works ultimately pay homage to the artist’s wife.

The following pieces Two Balinese Women (Lot 421), Balinese Maidens (Lot 420) and Two Balinese Women Working (Lot 423), provides further insight into Le Mayeur’s keen eye for detail, specifically the role that the natural landscape serves within the artworks. Though his works feature his wife, and her feminine beauty, Le Mayeur’s oeuvre also pays respect to the natural landscape of the country. In contrast with the aforementioned pieces, these paper works focus on the landscape of each scene. The women who inhabit the works are there to emphasize the artist’s appreciation for the island, for their presence compliments the natural beauty of the environment.

Compared with his contemporaries, Le Mayeur’s oeuvre represents a dedication to a woman whom he loved, and to an island that became his adopted home. The former is an important element in the artist’s collection of works, and is evident in the present works on paper, while the latter is a celebration of his favorite motif and has been delicately immortalized in the work of Dancing Ni Pollock (Lot 422).