巴索奇·阿都拉

Gifted from President Sukarno 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. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals small spots of restoration primarily at the background of the work; a few small spots of restoration along the edges of the canvas; a few small, minor spots at the body and hair of the girl; an area of restoration at the proper left shoulder and an area of restoration in between the legs. 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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Indonesian modern art has undergone several evolutions since the early 19^th century when the Dutch resided in the country, and later in the late 1940s when the country secured its independence from foreign rule. Raden Basoeki Abdullah was part of the first wave of Indonesian artists who seamlessly paired local motifs with Western art traditions. Familiar with the Dutch masters, such as Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer, he sought to emulate their style of classical portraiture and landscape paintings into his own artworks. This aesthetics were evident in the artist’s application of light and shadows, as well as the colors used to create a certain ambience within the paintings.

Abdullah was highly respected for his portraits of women, and much of his oeuvre is dedicated to their beauty and gentle presence. The painting entitled Nude is classic piece that perfectly exemplifies the artist’s artistic principles and favored motifs. Depicted in the work is a woman who is unaware of the outside gaze, instead looking away at something in the distance. While admittedly slightly voyeuristic in tone, Abdullah’s portrayal of women only served to enhance their natural charm. He staged them in compositions absent of objects that would detract attention from their quiet sensuality.

Upon initial glace the present work may reference the Mooi Indie (Beautiful Indies) painting style that was popular amongst the European painters, and defined the country’s artistic identity under foreign rule. This particular aesthetic found inspiration in the lush topography and beautified depictions of the local people. It was Indonesia as seen through a Western perspective. The Mooi Indie paintings represented a country that was part myth and part fiction, and therefore only vaguely real. However, Abdullah has the distinction of being an Indonesian artist who painted local subject matters.

The women who frequented his oeuvre, and embodied his ideal of femininity, did not pander to the artistic hierarchies that existed in the Mooi Indie teaching. Nude adheres to such personal aesthetics, for the woman dominates the composition completely, her presence an enigma that seduces and fascinates the audience. The woman in the present work, together with the others who inhabited the artist's paintings, celebrates the Indonesian woman as being an important part of the country’s artistic heritage and cultural identity.