S. Sudjojono

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

This work is in good overall condition as viewed, and the paint layers are healthy overall. There is evidence of light wear along the edges and corners of the work. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals some small, minor areas of restoration along the edges and corners of the work, as well as a couple of small, minor areas along the bottom quadrants. 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

          Banyak menteri muncul dan jatuh.

          Banyak orang lahir dan mati,

          Kalau tidak ditelan “harimau”,

          Dia musnah ditelan waktu.

Tidak demikian Ali Sadikin, anak Indonesia ini.

                           Dia brani,                                               

                           Dia baris,                               

                           Dia kerja,                                               

                          Dia berhasil;                               

               Menghadiahkan kita JAKARTA cantik.                               

               Riil sebagai beton, bagus sebagai lagu merdu untuk dikenang.                               

              Tetap megah, semegah abadi Republik Indonesia.

Pada anak-jantan Indonesia ini kuberikan lukisanku,

sebagai balik kasihku untuk jasa-jasanya bagi kota dan kesenian.

                                                     Jakarta 5 Juli 1977

(Poem inscribed on the reverse of the canvas)

           Many ministers appear and fall.               

          Many people are born and die,               

          If not swallowed by a “tiger”,               

         They vanish, swallowed in time.

But not so for Ali Sadikin, this child of Indonesia.            

                          He is brave,                                               

                         He lines up,                                               

                         He works,                                               

                        He succeeds;

            In gifting us with a beautiful JAKARTA.

           Real as concrete, lovely as a melodious song to be remembered.

           Stay magnificent, as magnificent as the timeless Republic of Indonesia.

For this son of Indonesia I give my painting,

As my gratitude to his benefaction for the city and the arts

                                                 Jakarta 5 July 1977

(Poem translated into English)

Sudjojono is highly respected as being the founding father of Indonesian modern art, his paintings and artistic theories having a transformative impact on the country’s art history. He was one of the first to rebel against the Mooi Indies (Beautiful Indies) aesthetics that was popular amongst European painters who depicted the country from a vantage point that favored the romanticized representation of the “other”. Sudjojono’s body of paintings actively challenged these colonialist mindsets. He used art as means to regain ownership of his heritage and culture from the Europeans. A revolutionary painter and activist, Sudjojono created paintings were dedicated to his country. The artist remained faithful to the philosophy throughout his lifetime that artistic expression was the best way to communicate with the public.

A large number of his paintings featured the topography of the country. Contrary with the foreign artists who were enamored by the lush greenery and bold colors of the flora and fauna, for Sudjojono the landscape was an extension of the population and represented their strength and integrity. Mountains and volcanoes were favorite motifs throughout his paintings. They were celebrated for their towering physical presence, as well as for symbolizing the Common Man’s endurance in the face of opposition. The work entitled Mountain Landscape perfectly exemplifies all the signature motifs of the artist’s landscape paintings. Within the narrative he chose to show along with the mountain a dirt path that is surrounded by rich vegetation, together with the distant mountain range in the horizon and the blue sky that unifies the whole scene together.

An artist who valued Realism throughout his career, Sudjojono produced renditions of the Indonesian landscape that leaned slightly towards anthropological paintings of the countryside, albeit with a nationalistic intent. It was with painting that he was able to covey his patriotic ideology to a wider audience. Mountain Landscape follows in this vein. He chose to fill in the composition with scenes from a naturalized pecking order, the mountain as top of the hierarchy and the soil as the lowest entity. As a landscape painting the present piece adheres to the rules of the art genre. However as a patriotic work that touches the audience’s emotions, Mountain Landscape is succeeds on both accounts.