Pita Maha introduction

Hi Rene,
You have some lovely pieces.

 

Thanks so much,,,, I appreciate your help and expert advice.
I will make better pictures of these This week.
I have seen this stamp on the bottom of several examples.
Could it be pre or post world war 2?????

 

Beautiful !!! ... Joy.

 

It could be either, since the Dutch government tried to take up where it left off before the German occupation of the Netherlands. Slightly ignorant of the fact that the world had changed in the meantime.
Anyway, the name Dutch East Indies was still used after WWII, until december 1949. Bali did not get as mixed up in all the troubles of the time as for instance Java and Sumatra, and art was still being made at a steady pace.

Even though it is not an official Dutch East Indies stamp, which would have been in Dutch, it would indicate pre-1949.
It is underneath the little squatting girl, isn't it? I just checked the Frans Leidelmeijer book on Bali Art Deco and it mentions this style as 1930s to 50s. Much of the expertise in his book is based on old Dutch collections. The Dutch were the most important group of collectors in the early days.
The girl is very cute, she reminds me of the figure on the left in the Paul Gauguin painting called 'Manao tupapau', the Spirits are Watching.

 

Some more of Rene's photos:



The house of artist Rudolf Bonnet, one of the mentors of Balinese Modern artists of the Art Deco period:

 

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I would like to thank you for posting these pictures,,, I sent you an email with pics, just wondering it you had the time to review them, I appreciate your opinion

 

Hi Rene, apologies for the delay. I was thinking of starting a separate Bali Art Deco/carving thread so we can put them all in one thread, also for future reference by others. After all, this thread is in Introductions.
I have taken some photos as well, but haven't yet had the energy to make a new thread due to some health issues.
If you like you can put yours in there as well of course, but the photos you sent are partial views. So far I see one which could be Deco in the Mas style 1930-40, the dark girl is in the more realistic style 1930-50. The other girl looks like she could have been carved by a Western artist, worth looking into I think.

 

Pita Maha Book Ends by rene Zen Bali posted Aug 22, 2018 at 2:56 PM

 

Hi Any Jewelry,
I keep discovering books and information every day.
The auction catalogue:
Pre-war Balinese Modernist Paintings and Wooden Sculptures Froma Private Collection of Dr. A. de Roever (The Sandalwood Collection) Inclduing Works Selected by Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead
Pre-war Balinese Modernist Paintings and Wooden carving,
The Sandal wood collection is actually from Rudolf Bonnets Niece,,, I have some interesting info about her....
The book entitled Art Deco Beelden Van Bali 1930-1970
and an interesting book by one of Bali's most popular art dealers who as you know was Ari Smith art dealer and land lord,,,,,, he also all the old great look Rudolf Bonnet, Hofker and other from the 1960 s on

 

Rudolf Bonnet with Panji Neka by rene Zen Bali posted Aug 22, 2018 at 4:08 PM

 

I just saw an interesting Pita Maha sculpture with the initials in red,,,D.E.I Bali.???? Could this mean Dutch East Indies?????
if so,,,, would it have been created before world war 2 or post ??????

 

I have no idea, Rene. Here in the Netherlands we only used Dutch or Indonesian terms, never English ones.
If D.E.I stands for Dutch East Indies, it would have been put on by someone who spoke English. In Dutch, also in the Dutch colonies, any abbreviation, if ever used, would be N.I. for Nederlands Indië.
But everyone in the Netherlands knew exactly where Bali was, or the other Indonesian islands for that matter, so an N.I. designation on Balinese items was never used. Something was either called Balinese or Javanese or Sumatran, etc. Overhere Balinese art was always called Balinese (Balisch or Balinees), and designations were never in English.

But about the time frame, the geo-political terms Nederlands Indië and Dutch East Indies (in the English speaking world) were still used after WWII, until december 1949.

 

T

Thank you, its passion/

 

pita maha by rene Zen Bali posted Aug 28, 2018 at 1:03 AM

pita maha by rene Zen Bali posted Aug 28, 2018 at 1:05 AM