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A collection of photographs from the collection of Walter Spies
The collection consisting of over 450 black and white photographs, laid down in albums and several not laid dow, depicting Indonesian dance, Temple reliefs, sultans, Bali life, family photo's and other subjects; many with inscriptions on the reverse by Walter Spies and Karl and Olive Gotsch
Dance and Drama in Bali, the book, 1938, Beryl de Zoete and Walter Spies, with an inscription by Walter Spies Aan die lieben Karlschen und Olive in ewiges Freundschaft/Walter, published by Farber and Farber, London
Cultuurgeschiedenis van Java in Beeld, the book, 1926, by Dr. W.F. Stutterheim, published by G. Kolff, Weltevreden

A gift from Walter Spies to Karl and Olive Gotsch,
thence by descent

Specialist note

The artists Walter Spies and Karl Gotsch were close friends. In a letter to Karl Gotsch, Spies describes the process of painting Scherzo as a spiritual and sacred purification of the soul akin to rebirth: "The funny thing is I really feel as if this is my very first painting. I really feel as if I am beginning a new life."