Hendra Gunawan

Acquired directly from the artist

Thence by descent to the present owner

The painting is in good condition, as is the canvas, which is clear and taut. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals some scatterred small flecks of general retouching - mostly in the background - which seem consistent with the aging process of the painting. The paint layers are well-preserved and in fine condition. The colours in the catalogue illustration are quite accurate.
"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."

The women are often depicted in groups of three. And nearly always, they are nursing infants, slung on their backs, among fruits and the colorful scarves used to carry things with. Hendra's women are types, not clearly distinguishable individuals and there is ample material for a fascinating discussion of their many roles and meanings. Here we only touch on the most obvious. Hendra's women are nourishing, nursing, mothering beauties, voluptuously busty, their undulating bodies wrapped in bright-colored cloth. Their forms are echoed by the form of papayas, often competing with strutting eggplants and cucumbers. They are young and their long graceful arms. Exaggerating the elegant hand-movements that are so typically Indonesian, contrasting with their thick feet with wide-spaced toes—the feet of villagers and farmers. Whether depicting servants or slightly better-off women, Hendra celebrates female beauty, suppleness and strength, placing his women in nature, as integral parts of it, with babies and children as signs of ongoing procreation—a process, it seems, in which men seem to play a secondary role.

ASTRI WRIGHT CITED IN PAINTING THE PEOPLE, MODERN INDONESIAN ART: THREE GENERATIONS OF TRADITION AND CHANGE, 1945-1990, EDITED BY JOSEPH FISCHER, SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE NATIONAL PRINTERS LTD., 1990, PAGE 128