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Lot Essay
Rudolf Bonnet's artistic talents were apparent at a very young age but he did not receive much support from his family, particularly his father. The artist's initial art education was in the form of an applied art school between 1913 to 1916. He attended the Amsterdam Academy of Fine Arts' evening drawing classes where he received training from the celebrated artists Antoon Derkinderen and Carel Dake Sr..
The first distinctive period in the artist's career came around 1920 when he began to travel extensively in Europe, notable Italy where he stayed on in Florence and painted incessantly. Bonnet's preoccupation with portraits of people during the Italian period is evidenced by the work La Domenica delle Palme, dated 1923. The work was imbued with a unique sense of quiet energy, and Bonnet skillfully contrasted the light, rosy hues on the cheeks of the boys to the confident strokes of black charcoal, attaining an uncanny state of realism in the expressions of his models.
The artist himself has explained his preference for the portraiture. In a letter dated 1926, the artist commented "My work might also be interpreted as an unit, as a single portrayal of a race, It is a story: The story of a peasant-class, preserved in its classical state (in some regions, at least) and part of a people whose background spans the centuries. Still, one of these days that race will have vanished. So considered from this viewpoint these hard facts are not portraits. They are the representatives of a race." (Ruud Spruit, Indonesian Impressions: Oriental Themes in Western Painting, Wijk en Aalburg, 1992, p.20).
Indeed Bonnet was very much dedicated to the preservation of the indigenous life style, which he felt, was constantly eroded by Western missionaries and tourism. Thence, the artist devoted most of his works to the faithful records of the people, ensuring that it is 'preserved in its classical state'.
Bonnet depicted the portrait of Arjuna several times as it is an image highly symbolic of the artist's preoccupations. Arjuna as the hero of the mythical legend, the Mahabharata is an image highly recognizable and stylised in the Balinese culture, and therefore a rich source of inspiration for many artistic creations. Arjuna, the warrior is often depicted in a battle but Bonnet in the present lot (and several other versions by the artist) however, selected a moment of intense reflection of Arjuna.
The story of Mahabharata is about a north Indian Royal family feud which resulted in battles amongst cousins over who had the right to rule. It is a long drawn battle with involvement of gods and deities and alliances formed and broken constantly providing much source for drama and action.
On the eve of the great Mahabharata battle, Arjuna asked his charioteer to drive him out to the front line so he could look over the opposition he would face the next day. As he looked at his foes, he recognised his favourite teacher, family and friends. Horrified to realise that he must kill the very people he loved, he threw down his bow and arrow and told the charioteer he would not fight.
On hearing Arjuna's change of heart, the charioteer who was actually Lord Krishna the divinity, gave his great teaching known as the Bhagavad Gita in which he explained the necessity of Arjuna acting befittingly as a brave warrior as a fulfillment of a warrior's dharma. In the achievement of good dharma by fighting the war, Arjuna is building good karma. From here, Lord Krishna also elaborated on other concepts: Brahman, samsara and finally moksha - the ultimate aim of life, is to break the chain of samsara and rejoin Brahman and never to be re-born again. The lord explained that there are 4 types of Yoga to achieve moksha, namely the yoga of meditation, knowledge, holy indifference and devotion.
However, none of the above convinced Arjuna. Krishna had no choice but to reveal his real identity and Arjuna was so awed by the experience, "as if a thousand suns exploded." The warrior, finally humbled, agreed to fight the war.
The meditation of Arjuna is always a very significant moment in the epic. It is through meditation that he contemplated on the war and with the help of meditation he resisted several temptations which were designed to deter our hero from the right path.
Arjuna would be a perfect model, for an artist who is constantly searching for the portrayal of an individual's sublime quality. The importance of the role necessitates a good dancer and Bonnet often highlighted the overwhelming sense of elegance and stoic fragility of an individual dancer/performer. Under the elaborate headdress, the artist wants the viewer to contemplate and see the individual, both as Arjuna, the hero as well as the performer.
The first distinctive period in the artist's career came around 1920 when he began to travel extensively in Europe, notable Italy where he stayed on in Florence and painted incessantly. Bonnet's preoccupation with portraits of people during the Italian period is evidenced by the work La Domenica delle Palme, dated 1923. The work was imbued with a unique sense of quiet energy, and Bonnet skillfully contrasted the light, rosy hues on the cheeks of the boys to the confident strokes of black charcoal, attaining an uncanny state of realism in the expressions of his models.
The artist himself has explained his preference for the portraiture. In a letter dated 1926, the artist commented "My work might also be interpreted as an unit, as a single portrayal of a race, It is a story: The story of a peasant-class, preserved in its classical state (in some regions, at least) and part of a people whose background spans the centuries. Still, one of these days that race will have vanished. So considered from this viewpoint these hard facts are not portraits. They are the representatives of a race." (Ruud Spruit, Indonesian Impressions: Oriental Themes in Western Painting, Wijk en Aalburg, 1992, p.20).
Indeed Bonnet was very much dedicated to the preservation of the indigenous life style, which he felt, was constantly eroded by Western missionaries and tourism. Thence, the artist devoted most of his works to the faithful records of the people, ensuring that it is 'preserved in its classical state'.
Bonnet depicted the portrait of Arjuna several times as it is an image highly symbolic of the artist's preoccupations. Arjuna as the hero of the mythical legend, the Mahabharata is an image highly recognizable and stylised in the Balinese culture, and therefore a rich source of inspiration for many artistic creations. Arjuna, the warrior is often depicted in a battle but Bonnet in the present lot (and several other versions by the artist) however, selected a moment of intense reflection of Arjuna.
The story of Mahabharata is about a north Indian Royal family feud which resulted in battles amongst cousins over who had the right to rule. It is a long drawn battle with involvement of gods and deities and alliances formed and broken constantly providing much source for drama and action.
On the eve of the great Mahabharata battle, Arjuna asked his charioteer to drive him out to the front line so he could look over the opposition he would face the next day. As he looked at his foes, he recognised his favourite teacher, family and friends. Horrified to realise that he must kill the very people he loved, he threw down his bow and arrow and told the charioteer he would not fight.
On hearing Arjuna's change of heart, the charioteer who was actually Lord Krishna the divinity, gave his great teaching known as the Bhagavad Gita in which he explained the necessity of Arjuna acting befittingly as a brave warrior as a fulfillment of a warrior's dharma. In the achievement of good dharma by fighting the war, Arjuna is building good karma. From here, Lord Krishna also elaborated on other concepts: Brahman, samsara and finally moksha - the ultimate aim of life, is to break the chain of samsara and rejoin Brahman and never to be re-born again. The lord explained that there are 4 types of Yoga to achieve moksha, namely the yoga of meditation, knowledge, holy indifference and devotion.
However, none of the above convinced Arjuna. Krishna had no choice but to reveal his real identity and Arjuna was so awed by the experience, "as if a thousand suns exploded." The warrior, finally humbled, agreed to fight the war.
The meditation of Arjuna is always a very significant moment in the epic. It is through meditation that he contemplated on the war and with the help of meditation he resisted several temptations which were designed to deter our hero from the right path.
Arjuna would be a perfect model, for an artist who is constantly searching for the portrayal of an individual's sublime quality. The importance of the role necessitates a good dancer and Bonnet often highlighted the overwhelming sense of elegance and stoic fragility of an individual dancer/performer. Under the elaborate headdress, the artist wants the viewer to contemplate and see the individual, both as Arjuna, the hero as well as the performer.