LOT 61
RUDOLF BONNET
B. Amsterdam, 1895 – 1978
Geledek, Bali 35
Signed and titled “R. Bonnet Geledek Bali” on upper right
Charcoal on paper
31.5 x 24 cm
Private Collection, Singapore
RM 5,000 – RM 12,000
Rudolf Bonnet was first introduced to the tropical island of Bali through its representation in artworks by artists such as the Dutch artist W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp, and the German artist Walter Spies. Travelling around Europe in the 1920s, Bonnet spent an extensive amount of time in Italy where he stayed on in Florence and painted incessantly. Drawing inspiration from the masters of the Italian Renaissance, Bonnet was particularly interested in the study of portraiture. Carrying with him the spirit of the renaissance painters, and a romantic notion of the pure human form, Bonnet was keenly aware of the fragility of indigenous cultures in the colonial Dutch East Indies in the rapidly modernising world of the early 20th century. Rudolf Bonnet led the formation of the Pita Maha organisation in 1936 that was primarily concerned with recognising and developing the quality of indigenous Balinese painting. Proof of his immense dedication to understanding and preserving the essence of Balinese life and culture, the Pita Maha organisation was also a means to increase awareness within a wider audience, and create a market for these local artists.