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Lot Essay
The authenticity of this lot has kindly been confirmed by Cathinka Huizing after first hand examination.
"Cette fois j'allait vivre exclusivement pour mon art et que rien ne pourrait m'en distraire" (This time I shall live exclusively for my art and nothing shall distract me). (Jop Ubbens and Cathinka Huizing, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprés: Painter-Traveller, Pictures Publishers, The Netherlands, 1995, p. 101).
The French-speaking, Belgian-born artist made this promise before his departure from Europe in 1932 where he was born and raised, educated and worked as an artist for most of his life. By the age of 52 when he made his second visit to Bali, Le Mayeur was very much a seasoned traveller who had left his foot-prints in the lands of North Africa, India and most European countries.
Bali was to become a rich source of inspiration for Le Mayeur, and he devoted himself to the task of depicting his immediate surroundings: the Balinese people, the luxuriant flora, the beach and the sea, usually bathed in exuberant sunlight. For Le Mayeur, the physical beauty of the island was complimented by the artistic creativity of the islanders themselves. 'Les Balinais aussi sont des artistes' (The Balinese are artists in their own right), said the artist. (Ibid. p. 101). Like many of the visitors to the island, he was fascinated with the rich creation of decorative arts, amazed at the abundance of weavers, woodcarvers, silversmiths as well as dancers.
As important as the people would be the very activities that gather the community. True to the spirit of painter-traveller, Le Mayeur upon his arrival on Bali made conscientious efforts to visit the temples, religious ceremonies or pasar (market), so that he could be completely immersed in the atmosphere of the island. Comparable to his early depictions of the Arabian street scenes, the present lot recorded the bustling activity of the Balinese community. The present lot represents the impression of a curious onlooker, inquisitive of a foreign culture and yet appreciative of his beauty and engaged the viewer with its unpretentious spontaneity.
"Cette fois j'allait vivre exclusivement pour mon art et que rien ne pourrait m'en distraire" (This time I shall live exclusively for my art and nothing shall distract me). (Jop Ubbens and Cathinka Huizing, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprés: Painter-Traveller, Pictures Publishers, The Netherlands, 1995, p. 101).
The French-speaking, Belgian-born artist made this promise before his departure from Europe in 1932 where he was born and raised, educated and worked as an artist for most of his life. By the age of 52 when he made his second visit to Bali, Le Mayeur was very much a seasoned traveller who had left his foot-prints in the lands of North Africa, India and most European countries.
Bali was to become a rich source of inspiration for Le Mayeur, and he devoted himself to the task of depicting his immediate surroundings: the Balinese people, the luxuriant flora, the beach and the sea, usually bathed in exuberant sunlight. For Le Mayeur, the physical beauty of the island was complimented by the artistic creativity of the islanders themselves. 'Les Balinais aussi sont des artistes' (The Balinese are artists in their own right), said the artist. (Ibid. p. 101). Like many of the visitors to the island, he was fascinated with the rich creation of decorative arts, amazed at the abundance of weavers, woodcarvers, silversmiths as well as dancers.
As important as the people would be the very activities that gather the community. True to the spirit of painter-traveller, Le Mayeur upon his arrival on Bali made conscientious efforts to visit the temples, religious ceremonies or pasar (market), so that he could be completely immersed in the atmosphere of the island. Comparable to his early depictions of the Arabian street scenes, the present lot recorded the bustling activity of the Balinese community. The present lot represents the impression of a curious onlooker, inquisitive of a foreign culture and yet appreciative of his beauty and engaged the viewer with its unpretentious spontaneity.