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Lot Essay
The self portrait is undoubtedly a very emotional subject for all artists. It is a subject to which Affandi would constantly return throughout his career. In retrospect, with the gathering of many of his self portraits, one sees the works recorded the gradual aging process of the artist as well as his emotions at the moment of painting an individual self portrait; they are either happy, sad, angry or pensive. The intensity of these portraits are attempts of the artist to seize his moments in life and honestly recording his emotions, complex or simple, of a specific moment. The audience is brought into the intimate psychological world of the artist.
The present lot shows three self portraits on one canvas. Each portrait has another dominant colour: red, blue and white. These colours all invoke a different emotion. Comparing his self portraits, one sees the works record the gradual ageing process of the artist. The three faces in this painting don't show this ageing process; they all seem to be more or less of the same age. The present lot is painted in 1989, towards the end of the artist's life. Looking back, the expressionist Affandi seems more interested in changing emotions than the passing of time.
In 1966 Affandi made an earlier version of Three moods of me. (see Claudia Kalb, Affandi in America, Washington 1990, p. 12, ill.) Although the present lot clearly shows similarities with the earlier version, the stylistic development is evident. Painted at an old age, the portraits become more abstract and the composition is more lively.
The present lot shows three self portraits on one canvas. Each portrait has another dominant colour: red, blue and white. These colours all invoke a different emotion. Comparing his self portraits, one sees the works record the gradual ageing process of the artist. The three faces in this painting don't show this ageing process; they all seem to be more or less of the same age. The present lot is painted in 1989, towards the end of the artist's life. Looking back, the expressionist Affandi seems more interested in changing emotions than the passing of time.
In 1966 Affandi made an earlier version of Three moods of me. (see Claudia Kalb, Affandi in America, Washington 1990, p. 12, ill.) Although the present lot clearly shows similarities with the earlier version, the stylistic development is evident. Painted at an old age, the portraits become more abstract and the composition is more lively.