Hendra Gunawan

Oet's Fine Arts Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

Christie's, Hong Kong, October 31, 2004, Lot 589

Acquired from the above sale by the present owner

This painting is in good condition overall, as is the canvas, which is clear and taut. The paint layers are intact and the brushworks are well preserved. Examination under ultraviolet light shows no evidence of retouching. The colors in the catalogue illustration are quite accurate, although the purple undertones are more prominent (in the figures' kebaya and batik) and the texture is more detailed and apparent in the actual work. 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."

"Running like a red thread through most of his works, we see how Hendra monumentalized the land and his nation's women and working people in his canvases. The women as a group, who by far outnumber the men or children in Hendra's later canvases, are not a uniform mass: Hendra does not reduce the subject of woman to any kind of essential. In his canvases, women, be they Sundanese, Javanese, Balinese or other Indonesians, are active, strong, nurturing and beautiful; they are also worn and sick (but carrying on), sociable (but framing their relationships in their own terms), hard-working (and not only in typically 'feminine' professions), and feisty."

ASTRI WRIGHT, HENDRA GUNAWAN, A GREAT MODERN INDONESIAN PAINTER, IR CIPUTRA FOUNDATION JAKARTA, 2001, P.40.