Affandi

Acquired directly from the artist in 1981
Private Collection, Belgium

The work is in good condition overall, as is the canvas, which is clear and sound. There is light wear and handling aroud the edges of the painting due to the basic framing process. Impastos are healthy and stable. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals no evidence of restoration. Framed.
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“…[Affandi] did not come to Bali for the exotic “difference” the island is all too often expected to provide. He was looking for “situations,” some Balinese, some not, but always ones which he could endow with personal signification. Working outdoors, he looked for scenes he could endow with personal symbolic meaning(s) – to connote human suffering or express the whirling of natural forces…The exotic side of Bali pleased him, but it does not seem to have ever been a determining factor. Even the Barong, which fascinated him, was to Affandi more a symbol- of a struggle of opposite forces –than an extraordinary, exotic event.”¹

Seated Dancer exemplifies the artist at his best, for the painting possesses a riveting charm. Affandi had the ability to catch what he saw with just a few strokes that would set the painting to motion. The swirling impastos convey a distinctive vitality while echoing the spirit and energy with which he perceives life. The raw emotion embedded in the present Lot ultimately celebrates the artist’s joie de vivre, making the work a convincing example of Affandi’s mastery as an Expressionist. 

¹Jean Couteau cited in Sardjana Sumichan, ed., Affandi, Volume II, Bina Lestari Budaya Foundation, Singapore Art Museum, Jakarta Singapore, 2007, p. 39