Hendra Gunawan

Acquired directly from the artist
Private Collection, Indonesia

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals tiny specs of restoration in a few areas of thicker impasto, and most notably in the background and along the left edge of the painting. But this is only visible under ultraviolet light. Framed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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The immense paintings of Hendra Gunawan are embedded in the history of modern Indonesia as as some of the most exquisite portrayals of circadian life. Stimulated by a lifetime of observing the ebbs and flows of rural existence, the maestro garnered a profound respect for human integrity and dedicated his oeuvre to the lives of the common man. In this sprawling composition, Village Life, Hendra invites the viewer to share in the simple joys of the country folk as they eat al fresco. The present lot stands as far more than a mere description of a scene, for it is infused with a culmination of themes the artist deems worthy of celebration, such as familial relationships, community values and camaraderie. As a social being inspired by commonplace happenings in the thoroughfares of his nation, Hendra yearned to immortalize picayune moments and elevate them to a sanctified level.

The present lot depicts a group of villagers in medias res, modestly sitting on the ground by the edge of a cliff while sharing a meal. It is a candid scene, as the subjects are oblivious to the viewer’s scrutiny and thus, they do not acknowledge their onlooker. Hendra’s proclivity for detail is epitomized in the minutiae of the painting. Though the subjects are engrossed in their feast, their act of eating is permeated with a deep sense of compassion. The matriarch of the clan generously serves a plate of food to a young man, who concedes gratefully. Behind her, a more elderly, mustachioed man feeds a whole fish to a child. Hendra’s country dwellers are dynamic individuals who engage and nurture one another as an expression of their care. The painting elucidates the physical and emotional bonds between people, which are made manifest in the quotidian practice of dining.

Hendra’s picture bears parallels to genre paintings, which represent everyday scenes consisting of people engaging in ordinary, unpretentious activities. Much like the anonymous peasants from Jan Steen’s kitchen scene, Hendra’s villagers represent no discernable individual in particular. Rather, the rustics are figments of the artist’s imagination. It is no surprise that as an artist who found a deep affinity with the working class, Hendra was concerned with the themes pervasive within genre paintings that were unsurprisingly prevalent among the bourgeois class.

This magnificent composition reveals Hendra’s adulation of the women that perpetuate the traditions of his country and hold a synergetic rapport with their native land. Ubiquitously known for featuring ebullient women as protagonists in his in his paintings, Hendra places a maternal figure at the foreground of the work. Strong, dependable and so full of capacity, she nourishes and nurtures those around her. It is conceivable that the character of the matron may be influenced by the artist’s two dear wives. Hendra perceived women as backbones of their families and communities, a belief pervasive throughout his opus. Garbed in traditional Balinese attire known as Baju Kebaya, this doyenne represents her nation wherever she goes. Her kebaya is embellished with intricate floral and batik patterns. A mark of Indonesian culture and indigenous pride, batik is the artist’s most favorite and dear motif, almost always included in his paintings as a perennial embodiment of his motherland.

He exaggerates her voluptuous body, fashioning her as robust, voluptuous and slightly elongated. The sinuous curves of her crouching body echo the mountains in the backdrop of the work, further binding the woman with the land from which she originates. Hendra juxtaposes the close nook where the figures assemble in the forefront of the painting with the deep, mountainous landscape behind it. He skillfully permeates the painting with a sense of linear perception and depth by including this sprawling terrain that recedes into the distance. The meandering step formations of padi fields trace the eye up to the mountain, with rises to its pinnacle behind the cloudy skies. The inclusion of this picturesque vista provides a sense of release and balance to the otherwise clustered composition.

Hendra’s lively and flowing brushstrokes applied from a vibrant color palette provide the scene with a vibrating sense of movement. While the landscape is painted in tranquil blues, the figures are painted in rich hues that have the ability to transcend the ordinary picture into a visual display of emotions. The charming expressions, colorful figures and rural elements found in his paintings present a somewhat theatrical vision of Indonesia.

The harmonious image of a picnic conveys a moment of unadulterated and authentic joy, free from the veneer of social refinement. Hendra successfully raises the villagers from the banalities of their lives, garnering each individual with a distinct character and voice. As an artist with political aspirations, Hendra used painting as a method to document the lives of the locals, as well as his ideals. By documenting the reality of rural existence, Hendra pays homage to the cultural heritage of his beautiful nation, Indonesia.