Affandi

Gifted from the artist to the late Mr. Ali Sadikin
Private Collection, Indonesia

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. There is some very faint cracking to the pigment at areas of very thick impasto, but this is consistent with the age of the work. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals some restoration at areas of very thick impasto. 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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Affandi is highly regarded as being one of the pioneer artists of Indonesian modern art, for his collection of paintings are an exciting blend of cultural aesthetics paired with his own personal views of the world. He was known for his expressionistic painting style that expressed the range of emotions that inspired him to create each work. Lauded for his favored technique of painting with his hands and not using a traditional paint brush, further instilled a specific energy that pulsated through each painting.

The artist actively pursued subjects that he believed would further enrich the contents of the paintings. The works dedicated to the local Indonesian landscape and people are now classic pieces in the country’s art history, and provide a different and refreshing look into local interactions that were largely absent in the paintings created by Westerners traveling to Indonesia to experience the “other” as seen through rose colored glasses. As an Indonesian painter, Affandi desired to portray his country as experienced and lived by him, and this need to communicate such thoughts established his oeuvre with a rustic voice that valued authenticity over beauty.

Thereby it is curious to see Southeast Asian artists with nationalistic tendencies apply these same principles into a foreign context. Unlike the Dutch artists who traveled to Indonesia and were enamored by the tranquility of the tropics, their paintings dedicated to the people and landscape set within a beautified narrative, Affandi’s paintings from his travels abroad remained faithful to his painterly aesthetics of finding the essence of the local cultural and flavor, accurately communicating it to a discerning global audience.

The present painting Matador is an excellent example of the artist’s signature brushstrokes and color palette set within a Mexican environment. As per the title of the work, the artist is depicting the passion and excitement of the crowd as they watch the bull interact with the matadors and their horses. The composition shows the moment at hand where the bull has made full contact with the horse with the matador bucked off his steed. It is the animalistic pairing of the two beasts that solidifies the energy that reverberates throughout the painting.

Thereby it can be said that the artist’s oeuvre is a rich collection of narratives providing insight into his own personal history. The works reveal a man who was very much engaged with the external environment, seeking to capture this visceral force within the two-dimensional worlds of his paintings. As seen in the work Matador, Affandi strived to become a part of the world around him. Not merely willing to be a bit player, but rather to take the bull by the horns and embrace life as it unfolded before him.