LOT 50
JEIHAN SUKMANTORO
B. Indonesia, 1938
Nita, 2013
Signed and dated “Jeihan 13” on lower right Title and sign inscribed on the verso
Oil on canvas
45 x 45 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Singapore
RM 4,000 – RM 7,000
Internationally sought after for his tasteful figurative portraits, Jeihan Sukmantoro’s body of work comes from his imagination. Even without his signature on the painting, one familiar with his work can easily distinguish it from his signature style of painting the eyes of his subject black. Nita is a cultural representation of the Iban society in Sarawak where the neck and ears appear to be elongated and the subject is adorned with a traditional crown – often used in celebration or rituals
While the saying goes, the eyes are the gateaway to the soul, there is plenty of soul to be found in his work despite the absence of his subject’s eyes. One could discern a sense of positivity and calmness from the use of dark orange. Towards the end of appreciating the work, attention is drawn towards the red flower on the left side of the subject’s ear giving the audience a focal point.