Lot Essay
Victor Baron von Plessen came to Indonesia in 1924 for the first time. He stayed for two years in Java and Bali and undertook zoological expeditions to West Bali, and to Celebes and Flores in 1927/28. His travels to Central Borneo in 1934 were the subject of his book "Bei den Köfjägern von Borneo".
Making use of Walter Spies as a cultural-historic advisor, von Plessen together with Dr. Dahlsheim, recorded the classic Bali film "Der Insel der Dämonen" in 1930/31.
The sound-recorded film of a Balinese love story, now considered to be of anthropological importance, featured the Kecak dance. Spies remodelled the so-called 'monkey' dance specifically for this film and as such it is still performed for tourists in Bali today.
Like Spies, von Plessen was a man of many talents. Von Plessen was a gifted painter himself, initially working in a naturalistic, impressionist-like style, who had exhibited at the Kunstkring in Batavia. Later von Plessen painted pastiches in the 'magic-realism' style developed by Spies.
Apart from his admiration for Spies, von Plessen took great interest in modern Balinese painting. He was a passionate collector of the 'black and white' drawings by the Pita Maha artists.
Walter Spies came to settle in the village of Ubud in the middle of 1927. At the beginning of the following year von Plessen commisssioned two paintings from him intending to trade his motor car for them. Spies wrote to his mother "Baron von Plessen is here again and fell in love with two paintings of mine. He wants to trade his car for them when he leaves. It is a nice car; goes like the devil and climbs hills as if they weren't there - I am learning how to drive!
One painting has just been completed, the other almost. Tiger eats snake; jungle, mangroves, funny stags scuttle about. I think the paintings much more beautiful than a car, but a car is what I need." (Op.cit., Rhodius, p.258)
Spies was drawn to Bali from the refinement of the kraton in Jogyakarta by the robust vigour of Balinese life and music. The new environment brought new ideas. In Tierfabel a more strongly expressionist note is added to the smoother and refined brushwork of his Javanese paintings.
As Spies may have been affected by traditional (or transitional) Balinese painting whilst creating Tierfabel, the native painters on the other hand were interested in the 'realistic' aspects of Spies's work. By the early 1930s Balinese artists like Anak Agung Gde Sobrat, I Patera and I ketut Ngendon began painting animal fables too, in addition to subjects taken from everday life which meant an astonishing renaissance in Balinese painting and the development of a new revolutionary style, deriving however from their own ancient culture. It seems to have been a coincidental affinity from which Spies and the Balinese artists were reinforced in their art.
This painting is to be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné being prepared by Prof. John Stowell and Dr. H.I.Z. Hinzler.
Making use of Walter Spies as a cultural-historic advisor, von Plessen together with Dr. Dahlsheim, recorded the classic Bali film "Der Insel der Dämonen" in 1930/31.
The sound-recorded film of a Balinese love story, now considered to be of anthropological importance, featured the Kecak dance. Spies remodelled the so-called 'monkey' dance specifically for this film and as such it is still performed for tourists in Bali today.
Like Spies, von Plessen was a man of many talents. Von Plessen was a gifted painter himself, initially working in a naturalistic, impressionist-like style, who had exhibited at the Kunstkring in Batavia. Later von Plessen painted pastiches in the 'magic-realism' style developed by Spies.
Apart from his admiration for Spies, von Plessen took great interest in modern Balinese painting. He was a passionate collector of the 'black and white' drawings by the Pita Maha artists.
Walter Spies came to settle in the village of Ubud in the middle of 1927. At the beginning of the following year von Plessen commisssioned two paintings from him intending to trade his motor car for them. Spies wrote to his mother "Baron von Plessen is here again and fell in love with two paintings of mine. He wants to trade his car for them when he leaves. It is a nice car; goes like the devil and climbs hills as if they weren't there - I am learning how to drive!
One painting has just been completed, the other almost. Tiger eats snake; jungle, mangroves, funny stags scuttle about. I think the paintings much more beautiful than a car, but a car is what I need." (Op.cit., Rhodius, p.258)
Spies was drawn to Bali from the refinement of the kraton in Jogyakarta by the robust vigour of Balinese life and music. The new environment brought new ideas. In Tierfabel a more strongly expressionist note is added to the smoother and refined brushwork of his Javanese paintings.
As Spies may have been affected by traditional (or transitional) Balinese painting whilst creating Tierfabel, the native painters on the other hand were interested in the 'realistic' aspects of Spies's work. By the early 1930s Balinese artists like Anak Agung Gde Sobrat, I Patera and I ketut Ngendon began painting animal fables too, in addition to subjects taken from everday life which meant an astonishing renaissance in Balinese painting and the development of a new revolutionary style, deriving however from their own ancient culture. It seems to have been a coincidental affinity from which Spies and the Balinese artists were reinforced in their art.
This painting is to be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné being prepared by Prof. John Stowell and Dr. H.I.Z. Hinzler.