Temple in Bali

Lot Description

Lee Man Fong (1913 – 1988, Indonesian), Temple in Bali, pastel on paper heightened with whites, 48 x 70 cm (19 x 27   in.), signed and inscribed “M. F. Lee, BALI” with one seal of the artist on lower left.

About the Artist

Lee Man Fong was a Chinese painter born in 1913, Guangzhou, China. Lee Man Fong always had an inclination for the arts, however after the passing of his father in his early youth, he had to step up and take on the role as patriarch for his household of ten, putting a pause on his passion. In 1930, he seized an opportunity to rekindle his childhood dreams and relocated him and his family to Jakarta, where he attained a job at Kolff, a Dutch printing company, the first stride of his noteworthy career in the Arts. Through his employment in the company, he was able to encounter many buyers from the west, one of who saw his raw talent and lent him a helping hand to obtain a scholarship in Milan.

Throughout his time in Europe, he commenced a budding success, frequently showcasing his work in exhibitions, including the world renown Salon in Paris. When he emigrated back to Jakarta, his artistic fame had bloomed, and his style integrated the different cultures of his worldwide journey and origins. For instance, his Chinese roots were expressed through his brushwork, and his travels in the Old Continent were represented through Western visual forms.

Soon upon his return to Asia, Indonesia’s first president, President Sukarno, congratulated Lee Man Fong on his successes, and he and his supporters encouraged him to create his own organization which led him to create Yin Hua. Yin Hua was an institution where Chinese painters could congregate. The painters coordinated several art exhibitions and were also invited to create an art exhibition in China.

During this time, President Sukarno and Lee Man Fong kept in close contact, soon becoming trusted friends due to their love of art. President Sukarno admired the way Lee Man Fong’s art was delicate and yet held layers of signification. He passed on April 3rd in 1988, but his legacy as one of the greatest South East Asian artists of the Nanyang Style, appreciated today through exhibitions from the Hague to Paris, will forever live on.

Provenance

From an important private collection

Condition Report

The work appears to be in good condition. In its frame, pigment and paper appear to be in very good condition, free of deformations, holes, tears or creases. The work is offered with frame.