“Sunset” by Basoeki Abdullah. #art #fineart #painting #landscapepainting #oiloncanvas #historicalart #arthistory #basoekiabdullah #nationalgallerysingapore

Indonesian artist Baseoki Abdullah was born in 1915 in Solo, Java, to the family of well-known Mooi Indie painter Raden Abdullah Suriosubroto. Basoeki followed in his father’s footsteps and eventually earned the title of "the Rembrandt of the East." He received formal training in The Hague and was an art teacher during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. After World War II, he achieved international fame by winning an art competition held for the coronation of Queen Juliana of Amsterdam in 1948, Basoeki spent much of his later life traveling around the globe to paint stalwart statesmen and attractive women. Beyond the glitz and glamour, Basoeki was deeply driven by a personal desire to evoke the realities of postcolonial movements through his self-described style of "Romantic Realism." This pastel portrait depicts an unidentified young woman, likely of East Asian descent, with dark, curly hair, subtly draped in a pale garment, her gaze directed slightly away from us, creating an air of pensive sensuality. She possesses dark, rich, curly hair in a mid-20th century style that frames her delicately-rendered face. Her soft features are finely detailed: dark averted eyes, a straight nose, and full lips painted a bold red. Her expression is one of quiet contemplation or perhaps subtle allure. She appears young with a smooth complexion light-to-medium skin tone with subtle shading to create depth and dimension. She is partially draped in an off-white, strapless garment loosely arranged around her shoulders and upper chest, leaving her shoulders and upper arms exposed. Her left hand is gently placed on her right shoulder, suggesting a pose of self-awareness or perhaps a hint of vulnerability. The clothing is not sharply defined, but rather softly rendered with pastel strokes that blend seamlessly into the background. Sadly, Abdullah was beaten to death by three assailants during a break-in at his Jakarta home in November 1993 at the age of 78.

Untitled (Woman Touching Shoulder) by Basoeki Abdullah (Indonesian) - Pastel on paper / Undated - National Gallery Singapore #WomenInArt #PortraitofaWoman #art #artwork #artText #BasoekiAbdullah #Abdullah #IndonesianArtist #IndonesianArt #beauty #Bluesky #bskyart #pastel #NationalGallerySingapore