Raden Saleh | Petranet [en]

Picture: from Petranet

Raden Saleh is a 19th century modern naturalist painter. He was born in Semarang and died in Bogor. He began to paint since 1807 and he was one of the Indonesian painter who acquired a scholarship from The Netherlands government to study at Netherlands. O nce he stayed at the Netherlands' palace and married a European lady. Although he stayed in Europe but his love for his country was enormous. It could be seen from his habit in wearing the Royal dress of Javanese Kingdom whenever he attended any occasions without feeling inferior, even when anybody else wore European dress.


Only because he stayed in Netherlands' palace and do the Netherlands' queen painting, he was condemned to be a betrayer to his country. That accusation , however, was proven to be wrong because one of his paintings proved that he had an enormous national ity. the painting portrayed the incident when Pangeran Diponegoro was captured by general De Cock in the year 1830 which happened in the house of Magelang resident. In the painting, Raden Saleh picturized himself and the believers of Pangeran Diponegoro watching the tragic situation with respectful feelings toward Pangeran Diponegoro. Even General De Cock looked so respectful escorting Pangeran to his carriage which would bring him to his exile. When the captured took place, Raden Saleh was in Netherland s. Tens of years later, he came back to Indonesia looking for the needed informations about the capture from the relatives of Pangeran Diponegoro.

From his Exertions and masterpiece, it would not be too much if he is pondered to be a national hero