S. Sudjojono

Soemantri, H. (ed) (1998), Indonesian Heritage vol. 7 - Visual Art,  Didier Millet. Singapore, p. 53, color illustration

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. There is evidence of very minor wear along the edges of the work due to abrasions with the frame, but this does not affect the overall image as the paint layers are healthy overall. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals signs of restoration primarily on the face and upper torso of the left most figure, but this is only visible under ultraviolet light. Framed.
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S. Sudojono is highly respected for his key role in the emergence of the modern art movement in Indonesia, and his political and personal artworks confirm his placement in the country’s canon of art. Throughout his career he always sought to humanize his subject matters, finding their stories and struggles to be the inspiration for the paintings. As an artist Sudojono incorporated these life lessons into the narratives, seeing the act of painting as one that brought communities together.

The present work Human Glamor is a rarity within Sudjojono's oeuvre, for it is a slight deviation from the artist’s perhaps more traditional motifs. Absent of obvious nationalistic undertones that coloured his other works, the four individuals that inhabit the narrative are all preoccupied with something in the distance. Their actions and formal attire are fresh images, unseen in most of his other works. As per the title of the work, the three women and man are wearing their finest clothes, embodiments of a certain class of sophistication and elegance.

The work can be seen as a satirical nod to modernization, the values of human society misplaced with some things over others. The individuals that make up the painting are a morality tale that the artist is trying to convey to the audience. His paintings find their voices in the lives of the everyman, empathizing with society’s faults and foibles that influence a person’s actions and emotions. These attributes alone standout from Sudjojono’s favoured themes, but the value of the current work also lies in its play with a reversal of roles, emphasizing the decadence and prestige that exists in modern society.