ADRIEN JEAN LE MAYEUR DE MERPRÈS | Festival

Sotheby's Singapore, 3 October 1998, Lot 18
Acquired from the above sale by the present owner
Private European Collection

This work is good overall condition as viewed. There is evidence of faint, hairline craquelure to the pigment, particularly in areas of thicker impasto, but this is stable, consistent with the age of the work, and only visible upon very close inspection under bright light. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals very minor spots of retouching, primarily along the edges of the work, and some small spots of retouching near the upper right quadrant (near the right edge) and at the bottom left quadrant (near the left edge). Framed, in the artist's original hand-carved Balinese frame.
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.

Mesmerized by the exotic culture of Bali, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès delighted in the vivacious atmosphere of traditional Balinese festivals and celebrations. Though he was an immigrant and maintained his own foreign identity, he immersed himself in the mores and practices of the local people that fascinated him. Having married a Balinese Legong dancer, Ni Pollock, it was easy for him to assimilate in his own way, especially since Pollock often practiced her traditions and rituals in the presence of the artist. In his highly detailed and concentrated composition, Festival, Le Mayeur features a whimsical vignette of a traditional Balinese ceremony. Festival captures the effortless rapport within the community by bringing the viewer into the midst of jubilation. Crowned with fresh frangipanis and garbed in batik sarongs with an array of colors, from burnt orange, rust, mustard yellow to lime green, multiple women are scattered across the dense picture plane. The figures on the right side are placed in the foreground of the work, while some in the center stand gracefully in the mid-ground, further drawing the eye back into the distance, where a blue ocean delineates the horizon beyond the gate.

The work is characteristic of Indo-European figurative paintings that capture the essence of the physical female form and the pleasant nature of the pious, good hearted woman. Individually painted, each woman performs her own ritual, in her highly private pursuit of spiritual attainment, yet all do so comfortably within the space of their compatriots. A woman on the right side raises her arm with the grace of a dancer, encouraging the spectator to notice the foliage rising above her. Directly behind her is a woman holding a yellow umbrella, echoing another in the mid-ground also armed with her umbrella. Another stands tall in the foreground, with deportment befitting that of a queen, as she raises her arms to balance the offerings perched delicately on her head.

When arranging his composition, Le Mayeur plays with tensions and releases. While the umbrellas and palm trees are light, airy, and contingent on the whims of the winds, the thatched roof and the Balinese gate appear sturdy and erect. As a true impressionist painter and a master of light, he captures with such acuity the radiant sunlight and the local milieu. He he utilizes the effects of the sun to cast subtle interplays of light and shade across the festival grounds to distinguish individual figures within the work, rather than utilizing traditional outlines. The interplay of warm hues of yellows, reds and russet are counterbalanced by cooler tones in the sky and water, creating an aesthetically pleasing color harmony. In doing so, he creates fluidity within the picture as well as a sense of depth and perspective.

This momentous painting epitomizes the synchronous coexistence of spirituality and social order in Balinese circadian life. Captivated by the mysterious customs, social lives, ceremonies and festivals of the Balinese people, it is no surprise that this riveted artist would call this spiritual enclave home. In his lifelong search for beauty, Bali was a place of artistic liberation for Le Mayeur, providing a fevered twenty-six years of focus for his creative energy and would become his best and most celebrated period of his oeuvre.