Sudjojono's Puzzling Pair of Paintings
The exhibition S. Sudjojono: Art, Life, and Legacy, which was held at the Pakarti Building of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta on December 12-22, featured a nude painting by Sudjojono, which collectors have quietly been talking about.
The painting in question is Tempat Mandi di Pinggir Laut ("Bathing Spot by the Sea"). It strongly resembles another one of Sudjojono's paintings titled Dunia tanpa Pria ("World Without Men"). Both paintings portray over a dozen nude women relaxing outdoors behind large stones at the edge of a water pool . The difference is, one woman in Tempat Mandi di Pinggir Laut is wearing transparent brocade, while in the other she is uncovered.
So far these 'twin' paintings have never been publicly discussed. A book launched during the exhibition made no discussion of it either. More's the pity, the painting Dunia tanpa Pria was not present in the exhibition. Did Sudjojono make both the paintings? Or is there a possibility that one of them is a fake? What is the opinion of Putra Masagung, who owns Dunia tanpa Pria? Here is Tempo's analysis.
January 14, 2014
Rose Pandanwangi, 83, the second wife of the late S. Sudjojono, was giving a heartfelt rendition of a Frank Sinatra song, My Way. That night, on December 11 last year, she was in high spirits. It was the climax of the event A Century of Sudjojono (1913-2013). She and her family had organized a painting exhibition and launched a book about her late husband.
At around 7pm, the guests arrived at the Pakarti Building at the Center for Strategic and
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