The present lot is a highly rare composition from the artist’s celebrated traveling series. Commissioned by the present owner’s father, who was introduced to Affandi by a mutual friend who was likely an Indonesian diplomat, Four Girls was painted in the summer of 1962 in Annapolis, Maryland. The artist had spent a few days at the previous owner’s home, painting a total of four works. The young girls vibrantly depicted in stylized forms in the present work are sisters: Celia (age 7), Marianne (age 6), Nancy (age 4) and Susan (age 3).

Fascinated with Affandi’s unusual and inimitable painting style, the original owner of this work filmed the painting process on a 16mm camera. This rare footage has since been digitized, revealing the maestro’s artistic process. As seen in this video, Affandi drew purely from a painterly instinct. Wearing a comfortable white t-shirt and checkered shorts, the artist is mostly seen seated cross legged, but often on his knees. He faces a canvas that leans against the wall, perched on the floor, with his painting materials scattered by his legs: tubes of paint, a blue bowl, glass jars and a bottle of linseed oil. He turns around to peer at his subjects, before rapidly returning to his composition and applying his pigment directly from the tube. Concentrated on the act of creation, he bears a serious expression for the most part, but briefly reveals a slight smile during a moment of satisfaction. His gestures are quick and spry, generating strokes that are bold and fluid.

Such a technique eradicated the need for a paintbrush, hence opening the floodgates to the entranced artist’s emotions and giving them the most direct and immediate visual expression on the canvas as they surface. Furthermore, Affandi’s squeezing technique allowed his work to be conceived primarily of line, rendering his subject matter with a vigour and dynamism that was to become one of his greatest hallmarks. Though his process was generally unapologetic, he uses a sharp stick to maneuver the wet paint on the girl’s hair as a finishing touch. His swift movements are interrupted by brief moments of contemplation: his paint-splattered hands clutch on to a towel, and in another scene, he sits shirtless on a chair.

The original owner found Affandi generally shy in character, but extremely confident in his practice. With the proceeds from this commission, Affandi was able to return home to Indonesia and open his own gallery. Years later, when the present owner visited Affandi in Indonesia, the artist vividly remembered the commission and spoke highly of the father of the present owner.