Saturday, July 14, 2007
Johannes Graaf van den Bosch | 1836
Portret van Johannes Graaf van den Bosch (1780-1844). Gouverneur-generaal (1830-33). Heupstuk, staande met de rechterarm geleund op het voetstuk van een buste met het portret van koning Willem I. Op de achtergrond een landschap met het paleis te Buitenzorg. Onderdeel van een reeks van portretten van de gouverneurs-generaal van het voormalige Nederlands Oost-Indië.
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Saturday, July 7, 2007
Zelfportret
Saleh, Raden Sarief Bastaman | 1834 | olieverf op doek
Zelfportret van de schilder Raden Sarief Bastaman Saleh, zittend voor een schilderij van een zeegezicht met palet, penselen en schildersstok in de hand.
Titel: Zelfportret
Kunstenaar: Saleh, Raden Sarief Bastaman
Datering: 1834 tot 1864
Materiaal: doek
Afmeting: hoogte: 106.7 cm, breedte: 85.3 cm
Verwervingswijze: aankoop
Datum verwerving: 1978-04
Objectnummer: SK-A-4703
Objectnaam: schilderij
Collectie: schilderijen
Raden Saleh (1816-1881)
De schilderijen van de Javaanse aristocraat Raden Syarif Bustaman Saleh zijn sterk beïnvloed door Europa. Op Java kreeg hij les van de Belgische schilder Antoine Payen, die hij in 1829 vergezelde naar Nederland. Saleh ging daar in de leer bij historieschilder Cornelis Kruseman en landschapsschilder Andreas Schelfhout. Na een reis door Europa keerde Saleh in 1844 terug naar Den Haag. Zijn grote exotisch getinte olieverfschilderijen waren populair aan de Europese vorstenhoven. Onderwerpen die hij schilderde, waren vechtende wilde beesten, de hertenjacht en bosbranden. Vanaf 1851 werkte hij in Java als schilder en restaurator mee aan een portrettengalerij van gouverneurs-generaal. Van 1856 tot aan zijn dood was Saleh conservator van de nationale schilderijencollectie van Indonesië.
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Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Herman Willem Daendels | 1838
Saleh, Raden Sarief Bastaman | 1838 | olieverf op doek
Posthuum portret van Herman Willem Daendels (1762-1818). Gouverneur-generaal (1808-10). Ten halven lijve, staande in een landschap, met een verrekijker in de rechterhand, de linkerhand op een landkaart van Megamemdoeng waarop de Postweg is aangeduid. Ook in het landschap op de achtergrond is de Postweg voorgesteld. Onderdeel van een reeks van portretten van de gouverneurs-generaal van het voormalige Nederlands Oost-Indië.
Titel(s)
Posthuum portret van Herman Willem Daendels (1762-1818). Gouverneur-generaal (1808-10) ,
Posthuum portret van GG Herman Willem Daendels Bijnaam HNR
Kunstenaar
Saleh, Raden Sarief Bastaman
Datering
1838
Materiaal
doek
Afmeting
hoogte: 119 cm
breedte: 98 cm
Verwervingswijze
overdracht van beheer
Datum verwerving
1950
Objectnummer
SK-A-3790
Inscriptie
signatuur en datum rechtsonder: Raden Saleh f. 1838
Objectnaam
schilderij
Collectie
schilderijen,
Gouverneurs-generaal serie
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Monday, July 2, 2007
Jean Chrétien Baud | 1835
Saleh, Raden Sarief Bastaman | 1835 | olieverf op doek
Portret van Jean Chrétien Baud (1789-1859). Gouverneur-generaal ad interim (1833-35). Kniestuk, zittend in een stoel naar links, het gelaat en face. In de rechterhand een opgevouwen brief. Links achter een tuinvaas een gezicht op een landschap met het paleis Buitenzorg op Java. Onderdeel van een reeks van portretten van de gouverneurs-generaal van het voormalige Nederlands Oost-Indië.
Titel: Jean Chrétien Baud (1789-1859). Gouverneur-generaal ad interim (1833-35),
Portret GG Jean Chrétien Baud Bijnaam HNR
Kunstenaar: Saleh, Raden Sarief Bastaman
Datering: 1835
Materiaal: doek
Afmeting: hoogte: 119.5 cm breedte: 97.5 cm
Verwervingswijze: overdracht van beheer
Datum verwerving: 1950
Objectnummer: SK-A-3799
Inscriptie: signatuur en datum : 1835
Objectnaam: schilderij
Collectie: schilderijen, Gouverneurs-generaal serie
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Sunday, July 1, 2007
The Storm | Badai (1851)
Picture: collection Galeri Nasional
Badai / The Storm (1851)
Cat minyak di atas kanvas / Oil on canvas, 97 x 74 cm, Inv. 490/SL/B
Lukisan Raden Saleh yang berjudul “Badai” ini merupakan ungkapan khas karya yang beraliran Romatisme. Dalam aliran ini seniman sebenarnya ingin mengungkapkan gejolak jiwanya yang terombang-ambing antara keinginan menghayati dan menyataka dunia (imajinasi) ideal dan dunia nyata yang rumit dan terpecah-pecah. Dari petualangan penghayatan itu, seniman cenderung mengungkapkan hal-hal yang dramatis, emosional, misterius, dan imajiner. Namun demikian para seniman romantisme sering kali berkarya berdasarkan pada kenyataan aktual.
Dalam lukisan “Badai” ini, dapat dilihat bagaimana Raden Saleh mengungkapkan perjuangan yang dramatis dua buah kapal dalam hempasan badai dahsyat di tengah lautan. Suasana tampak lebih menekan oleh kegelapan awan tebal dan terkaman ombak-ombak tinggi yang menghancurkan salah satu kapal. Dari sudut atas secercah sinar matahari yang memantul ke gulungan ombak, lebih memberikan tekanan suasana yang dramatis.
Walaupun Raden Saleh berada dalam bingkai romantisisme, tetapi tema-tema lukisannya kaya variasi, dramatis dan mempunyai élan vital yang tinggi. Karya-karya Raden Saleh tidak hanya sebatas pemandangan alam, tetapi juga kehidupan manusia dan binatang yang bergulat dalam tragedi. Sebagai contoh adalah lukisan “Een Boschbrand” (Kebakaran Hutan), dan “Een Overstrooming op Java” (Banjir di Jawa), “Een Jagt op Java” (Berburu di Jawa) atau pada “Gevangenneming van Diponegoro” (Penangkapan Diponegoro). Walaupun Raden Saleh belum sadar berjuang menciptakan seni lukis Indonesia, tetapi dorongan hidup yang diungkapkan tema-temanya sangat inspiratif bagi seluruh lapisan masyarakat, lebih-lebih kaum terpelajar pribumi yang sedang bangkit nasionalismenya.
Noto Soeroto dalam tulisannya “Bi het100” Geboortejaar van Raden Saleh (Peringatan ke 100 tahun kelahiran Raden Saleh), tahu 1913, mengungkapkan bahwa dalam masa kebangkitan nasional, orang Jawa didorong untuk mengerahkan kemampuannya sendiri. Akan tetapi, titik terang dalam bidang kebudayaan (kesenian) tak banyak dijumpai. Untuk itu, keberhasilan Raden Saleh diharapkan dapat membangkitkan perhatian orang Jawa pada kesenian nasional. [dari Galeri Nasional]
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Labels: painting
Sunday, June 24, 2007
A Word of Caution...
The old saying goes: "Imitation is the highest form of flattery..."
Well, not in our case.
We are very much aware that forgeries and fakes, as they are called in Asia, is a thriving business trying to defraud unsuspecting art collectors.
Quite often reports of fake paintings reach us, mostly preceded by a request to evaluate a painting and state it's authenticity.
Meanwhile we also receive reports of fake certificates, where our certifications and certificates of authenticity are being forged. Persons with clearly criminal intend are using our name and our reputation, while hoping to find an art collector foolish or just greedy enough to buy the (fake) painting associated with it.
Please, do not be misled.
Only if you receive a certificate of authenticity directly from the Prince Raden Saleh Society, can you rest assured that it is the genuine article.
Only if you purchase a painting from the Prince Raden Saleh Society or our associated galleries and museums can you be sure to participate in increases in value accordingly.
When in doubt - do not hesitate and ask us.
Below you can see a forged certificate illegally using our name and our registered trade mark while trying to defraud the public. Needless to say there is not such "Het Kunts Keldertje"
The following article appeared in KOMPAS some time ago, and gives you a glipmse why it is prudent to contact us first.
Raden Saleh and the Indonesian Art Boom
In 1996 the Indonesian art scene was shocked by the appearance of a stolen Raden Saleh painting in Christie's October Singapore auction catalogue. This was one of the "side effects" of the record-breaking sale of Raden Saleh's "Deer Hunt" the previous March. Since the first sales of Indonesian art, both in the Netherlands and in Singapore, Raden Saleh's paintings have always been considered significant in one way or another. In early 1998, the previously stolen Raden Saleh greeted visitors at an exhibition of the Department of Education and Culture's collection.
Over and over again, the works of Raden Saleh have served as landmarks in the development of Indonesian art appreciation throughout the Indonesian art boom of 1987-1997. In this article I wish to convey in a narrative manner the ways in which Raden Saleh's paintings have indeed signified that development.
One bright Sunday morning in early September 1996 I visited a sculpture exhibition at the Department of Education's Exhibition Hall at Gambir, Central Jakarta. As I was about to leave, a staff member handed me some of the department's old catalogues that were about to be thrown away.
One of the catalogues concerned a 1988 exhibition held in preparation of Indonesia's long-awaited Wisma Seni Nasional (National Art Gallery). A page of the catalogue had been torn out, and so, when taking the book in hand it would always open right at the page next to the torn one. The missing page just happened to be the biographical data of Raden Saleh and opposite was the portrait of a Dutch official now owned by the Department of Education and Culture.
By sheer coincidence, Christie's October 1996 catalogue of Indonesian paintings arrived in my office mail the next day. I immediately took a quick glance at the paintings included in the sale. It was not until the next day, however, that I realized that the Raden Saleh painting offered by Christie's was exactly the same painting which appeared in the 1988 catalogue of the National Art Gallery.
That Tuesday I had arranged to take guests from a Japanese museum to meet Sudarmadji Damais, director of the Jakarta History Museum. I took the occasion to show the piece to him. He recognized the painting as the couple depicted in the portrait in the collection of his museum.
Later that day, a staff member of the Department of Education and Culture wanting to do research also came to the Jakarta History Museum. The department had received a report from the estate of Basoeki Abdullah that one of the painter's works which was supposed to be in the custody of the National Museum had appeared in the Christie's catalogue as well. It became clear that some paintings had been stolen from the National Museum.
The incident received strong response from the press after the story was leaked by art journalist Agus Dermawan T. An article about the theft appeared on Thursday on the front page of the daily Kompas. Agus knew about the appearance of the Basoeki Abdullah painting in the Christie's sale from the painter's estate but initially did not know about the theft of the other paintings. However, a Jakarta Post reporter who was tipped about the affair and eager to obtain confirmation from anyone who knew more about the matter called Agus and asked him about the painting by Raden Saleh. The reporter's question thus tipped the writer about the theft of "Dutch Official Wearing the Willem's Order." Agus had an even better story about the scandal to present to the press.
The Minister of Education and Culture and his staff immediately tried their best to get the stolen works back. The director of the National Museum, who is also an official in the department, was dispatched to Singapore the following week to retrieve the paintings. Christie's assisted as best as it could. It was Christie's policy not to disclose the name of the vendor of the paintings; nevertheless, the auction house tried to persuade the vendor to hand the paintings back to the Department of Education and Culture. Christie's handled the negotiations between the department and the vendor's lawyer. The talks resulted in the vendor's agreeing to return the paintings on the condition that the department drop any charges against him. The vendor of course claimed that he was unaware of the fact that the paintings he tried to sell through Christie's were stolen merchandise.
In Jakarta both the Department of Education and Culture and Christie's separately held press conferences announcing the return of the two paintings. For the most part, the press deemed that Christie's should be accountable for the incident. Many thought that Christie's experts should have known that the paintings were owned by the Department of Education and Culture. Some even thought that Christie's attempted to sell the works even though they may have suspected questionable provenance. Others realized that if no attempt had been made to sell the works through a public auction, the Department of Education and Culture and the general public would not have learned about the theft at the National Museum as early as they did and might never have seen the paintings again. "Thanks to Christie's, we know that these paintings had been stolen! If they had not appeared in the Christie's catalogue, we might not have known where they had ended up," exclaimed Sudarmadji Damais, director of the Jakarta History Museum.
As it turned out, there were not two but five paintings from the National Museum that were going to be offered by Christie's. More surprisingly, it was later learned that there were not five but rather twenty-five paintings stolen from the National Museum in Jakarta. The department eventually managed to get back all of the stolen paintings. The mastermind of the theft was never caught, but in mid May 1997 the two staff members of the National Museum who were involved in the crime were put on trial, and if found guilty could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison.
Who is actually to blame for the theft of the paintings from the National Museum is perhaps irrelevant at this point. To know and understand what caused the theft of the paintings seems to be more useful than to point fingers.
One of the most interesting facts related to the theft in the National Museum is that the works of the 19th century Indonesian painter Raden Saleh are closely related to the development of the Indonesian art market and the appreciation of art in Indonesia. On the one hand, the Raden Saleh paintings that have appeared on the market can be used to gauge the market's strength. On the other hand, development in the Indonesian art market has heightened public awareness regarding the significance of Raden Saleh's works.
To fully comprehend why the paintings were stolen from Jakarta's National Art Gallery, the incident should be seen within the context of the Indonesian art boom. Many observers agree that Indonesian art experienced a boom for about a decade lasting from the end of 1987 to the end of 1997.
Parallel to liberalization in the banking sector around 1987-88, the Indonesian fine arts scene became tremendously festive. Though a number of new galleries opened in Jakarta at that time, the center of Indonesian art was Bali. At the suggestion of the painter Rudolf Bonnet in the 1970s, Suteja Neka, a former school teacher, established his Museum Neka in 1985. This museum, which represented a rather comprehensive view of the development of Indonesian fine arts, become the most prominent art museum on Bali, if not in the whole country.
Balinese galleries, especially the Neka Gallery and Agung Rai Gallery, developed rapidly. A number of Indonesian businessmen earning huge profits as a result of liberalized banking started to collect paintings. They visited the Balinese galleries and hunted for the best works of art. It is said that in 1988 a businessman connected to Indonesia's first family bought eight paintings from a gallery in Bali for a total of Rp1.2 billion (at that time US$800,000). The Indonesian art boom had definitely begun.
In 1989 the Dutch auctioneer Jan Pieter Glerum noticed that there was considerable interest in art from Indonesia and decided to enter the market. As early as 1990 his auction house offered a work by Raden Saleh entitled "The Eruption of Mount Merapi." It sold for NF25,000.
Christie's finally discovered the developments in the Indonesian market and began auctioning Indonesian paintings in 1992. Sotheby's followed and also entered the Southeast-Asian art market.
The financially stronger Christie's began sales in Singapore in 1994 based on its having noticed strong market development in the region. Christie's business estimations and timing turned out to be correct. Raden Saleh's "The Eruption of Mount Merapi," previously sold at the 1990 Glerum auction, appeared in Christie's debut sale in Southeast-Asia and was sold for S$280,000. This meant that the painting had increased in value by more than a factor of twelve in the course of approximately four years.
On the basis of that success, Christie's held two auctions the following year, increasing their sales more than threefold compared to the previous year. In Christie's March 1995 auction in Singapore, a rather bland Raden Saleh landscape was offered and sold for S$550,000. At each of the first three Singapore auctions, the Raden Salehs set record prices for the artist. Within five years, the average value of the Raden Saleh paintings had increased by more than a factor of twenty.
It was at Christie's Singapore auction in March 1996 that the sale of Raden Saleh's works reached its peak. The 19th century painter's oversized "Deer Hunt" was sold for an astonishing hammer price of S$2.8 million. The price achieved a record for Southeast-Asian painting while marking the peak of the Indonesian art boom. Due to this remarkable sale, which also made the front page in the country's leading daily Kompas, the general public in Indonesia suddenly became aware of the value of paintings. The importance of Raden Saleh as a painter could also be more easily appreciated since a tangible monetary value could be attached to his works.
It seems, however, that the achievement of this record price also led to certain negative developments. Crime in the field of art increased markedly. Raden Saleh's "Dutch Officer Wearing the Willem's Order," which was stolen from the National Museum, appeared in Christie's October catalogue of Indonesian paintings that year. It can be assumed that the theft occurred not long after the sale of "Deer Hunt."
Due to bureaucracy as well as to other institutional obstacles, the Department of Education and Culture and the National Museum were unfortunately not responsive enough to the Indonesian art boom. As a result they failed to take a strategic position to ensure that the museum would become the leading institution in the field of fine arts. So, instead of creating an art museum or taking advantage of their vast collection to assemble interpretive exhibitions of Indonesian art, their collections remained neglected in storage.
Tempted by the huge profits that can be gained from the sale of the master's works at such high prices, the mastermind of the theft persuaded some museum employees to hand over, for a fee, some of the collection's works which had been in storage for almost a decade.
The fee the employees got can be calculated based on Christie's estimates for the paintings. The stolen Basoeki Abdullah painting was estimated at S$8,000 - 12,000, or Rp13.6 - 20.4 million. Considering the strong market at the time, we can assume that the work was expected to sell at around Rp20 million. Discounting commissions and expenses, the vendor's net earnings would have been about Rp12 million. On this basis, the mastermind likely gave the museum employees a maximum of one fifth of the expected net revenue, or Rp2.4 million, for the piece.
The Raden Saleh painting was estimated at S$100,000 - 170,000, or Rp170 - 255 million. We would expect this damaged piece to sell for a little under the lower estimate. Minus commissions and expenses, the expected net revenue from this work was likely around Rp80 million. For this particular piece, the mastermind would have given a maximum of Rp10 million.
However, it is almost certain that the mastermind of the theft got the twenty-five paintings as a lot. As the lot would consist of paintings of different qualities, sizes and conditions, let's say the entire lot of twenty-five paintings were obtained for under Rp30 million. We can assume that the theft was a conspiracy between two employees familiar with the museum storage and a security guard, whose monthly salaries were around Rp300,000 including benefits. If this is correct, then the Rp10 million fee per person for the job would have been considered substantial, as it was likely to be more than thirty times their monthly salaries.
In the May 1997 theft trials, the dailies Media Indonesia and Jayakarta reported that the two National Museum staff members had initially (in March or April 1996) sold three paintings by Affandi for Rp6 million following the mastermind's offer of Rp3 million for each painting. They offered Raden Saleh's "Dutch Officer Wearing the Willem's Order" to the mastermind for Rp5 million in April. The museum staff members sold twelve more for a sum of Rp9 million. It was determined that between March and September 1996 the two National Museum staff members had assisted in the theft of seventeen paintings from the National Museum and eight from other proprietors kept in the museum.
The employees involved in the theft may have thought that, since the paintings were neglected anyway, what the mastermind was asking them to do could not be deemed too serious a crime. Thus they took the paintings and handed them over to him. They figured that what they did would make everybody happy: they themselves got a considerable amount of money for a relatively easy job, the mastermind got the paintings he wanted, and the museum was freed from the burden of having to take care for the works.
The other negative development following the sale of "Deer Hunt" is the appearance of an even greater number of forged paintings on the market. It seems that following the record-breaking sale an increasing number of people have begun to realize that high prices can be demanded for paintings. Along with a growing number of new collectors, a rise in the number of works saturating the market is also evident. Among the great number of paintings being offered in the market are many fakes.
The Southeast-Asian art auctions in Singapore produced some rather questionable works attributed to Raden Saleh. Although further research needs to be done on the authenticity of those works, it can not be denied that many scholars and observers of Raden Saleh's work doubt they are the works of the 19th century Indonesian master. Some of the works are done with considerable mastery of 19th century technique, and it is highly probable that Raden Saleh forgeries have originated in Holland and other European countries.
It seems that Raden Saleh's paintings have made it financially worthwhile for some European master forgers to produce fakes of his works. Speaking generally about forging Indonesian art, pioneering auctioneer Jan Pieter Glerum observed that the most convincing forgeries of pre-war Indonesian paintings were done in Europe, particularly in Holland, while the most convincing post-war Indonesian forgeries have been done in Indonesia. If this were indeed the case, then it would be safe to assume that the best forgeries of Raden Saleh's work were done in Europe. This means that scholars and students of Raden Saleh need to take extra precautions when studying the works of the master, since the art of forgery in Europe is quite developed.
The high prices that the works of Raden Saleh have managed to fetch in Indonesian and Southeast-Asian art auctions in Singapore have sparked an increase in the number of art crimes in Indonesia, including art theft and art forgeries.
On the other hand, the record-breaking sale of "Deer Hunt" and the theft of "Dutch Official Wearing the Willem's Order" from the National Museum have also contributed to a heightened awareness of the significance of Raden Saleh's works, both among art collectors and in the public at large.
Awareness of the increasing value of the paintings by the 19th century Indonesian master have lured collectors who already had the painter's works in their possession to sell. Meanwhile, the auction houses are quite aware that collectors who do not yet have a Raden Saleh are eager to buy.
In the Southeast-Asian art auctions in March 1997, Christie's and Sotheby's offered a total of four paintings by Raden Saleh. Of those, Christie's sold "Lions Fighting a Snake Outside a Grotto in a Tropical Landscape" for S$1.8 million, while Sotheby's sold "Lions and Tigers Fight over a Dead Horse" for S$700,000.
The theft at the National Museum seems also to have served as a reminder that there is an urgent need to create a National Art Gallery. This has been under discussion since the 1950s. In February 1998, marking the eleventh anniversary of their Exhibition Hall in Gambir, Central Jakarta, the Department of Education and Culture presented a huge exhibition of their vast collection. Placed right in front of the entrance to greet visitors was Raden Saleh's once stolen work "Dutch Official Wearing the Willem's Order." Another Raden Saleh, "Ship Wreck," was also exhibited in this show. Yet again, Raden Saleh's paintings play an important role in the development of Indonesian art appreciation.
In a seminar held in conjunction with this exhibition, art critic and curator Jim Supangkat revealed the Department of Education and Culture's plans to establish the National Art Gallery. Finally, the department has decided to take a bold step toward becoming a leader in supporting understanding and appreciation of Indonesian fine arts.
Many significant events and incidences occurred throughout the Indonesian art boom, and the paintings of Raden Saleh highlighted the most important cases.
During the rapid pace of development, little if any time was dedicated to proper research, analysis and interpretation of Indonesian art in general. While the collectors competed to get the most sought-after paintings, Raden Saleh being at the top of the list, the general public also became interested in works of Raden Saleh, intrigued by the prices they were fetching at the auctions.
Fortunately, the boom did manage to attract the pursuit of broader and deeper knowledge of Indonesian fine arts. Furthermore, the legacy of Raden Saleh has proven impressive, and hence there remains a strong enthusiasm among the general public with regard to this important figure in the development of Indonesian art.. It is certain that Raden Saleh and his works will be among the foremost subjects of research in the field of Indonesian art..
After all, Raden Saleh is considered to be the first truly Indonesian painter, hence "The Father of Indonesian Painting."
Although many students of Indonesian art may already know the painter's life story, proper research regarding his significance is still relatively limited. An interpretive exhibition dedicated to the works of Raden Saleh will most certainly be welcome.
Below you can see a forged certificate illegally using our name and our registered trade mark while trying to defraud the public. Needless to say there is not such "Het Kunts Keldertje"
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Thursday, June 21, 2007
Mendedah Sejarah Raden Saleh
Apakah Raden Saleh seorang pelukis yang berjiwa patriot? Ataukah ia seorang seniman didikan Belanda yang hanya mencintai diri-sendiri? Persoalan-persoalan seperti ini muncul dalam sebuah acara ceramah sehari mengenai pelukis Raden Saleh.
Diskusi Sehari, yang berlangsung di Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik Jakarta (18/5), merupakan bagian dari rangkaian acara “Mengenang Pelukis Raden Saleh (1807--1880)”. Berlangsung hingga 25 Mei, acara menyertakan pameran lukisan 11 pelukis asal Jakarta, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Yogyakarta.
Kepala Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik Sri Warso Wahono dalam pengantarnya menyebutkan, motivasi penyelenggaraan acara adalah untuk “penyadaran publik”, untuk “mengenang patriotisme dan heroisme Raden Saleh”. Namun, yang disebut belakangan inilah yang berkembang jadi fokus perdebatan diskusi.
Edy Sutriono selaku keynote speaker mengingatkan bahwa ada orang yang masih mempertanyakan nasionalisme Raden Saleh. Kolumnis yang lulusan Studi Seni Rupa ITB ini menunjuk lukisan Penangkapan Pangeran Diponegoro (1857) yang merupakan revisi dari lukisan karya pelukis Belanda.
“Bahkan anggapan bahwa Diponegoro seorang pahlawan nasional itu hanyalah mitos belaka,” ujar Edy, menambahkan bahwa Diponegoro dinilai berperang tidak demi membela tanah air, tapi demi kehormatan keluarga.
Tampaknya, uraian pemakalah utama Suwarno Wisetrotomo akan memperjelas sosok Saleh dalam sejarah. Sesuai keinginan Edy yang mengharapan adanya pemisahan antara mitos dan fakta sejarah, dosen FSR ISI Yogakarta ini memastikan tahun kelahiran Saleh yang selama ini berbeda-berbeda, yaitu 1807.
Suwarno membagi periodeisasi kehidupan Raden Saleh Syarif Bustaman menjadi empat, masing-masing dikaitkan dengan tema karya-karyanya. Pertama, periode dengan tema “Potret”, yang ditandai dengan kerapnya pelukis beraliran realisme ini menggambarkan tokoh-tokoh atau para pembesar, dan acap kali pada saat yang sama menulis surat permohonan bantuan keuangan kepada tokoh yang ia lukis.
Kedua, periode “Panorama”, yaitu kerinduan Saleh akan kampung halamannya ketika ia berada di Negeri Belanda. Saleh melukiskan Pemandangan Desa (tanpa tahun); Pemandangan di Gunung Merapi dan Merbabu (1870) sebagai penyaluran kerinduannya akan Tanah Jawa.
Tapi, Saleh yang direkomendasikan untuk belajar melukis di Negeri Belanda oleh pelukis Belgia AAJ Payen ini juga mencipta Schipbreuk atau Kapal Kandas (1840) dan Letusan Gunung Merapi Malam Hari (1865). Karya-karya ini menurut Suwarno menghadirkan ketegangan dan “drama alam semesta”, suatu antitesis terhadap anggapan bahwa lukisan Saleh melulu menyajikan keindahan yang harmonis menurut pengertian Mooi Indie.
Pergolakan batin Saleh semakin tampak dalam periode ketiga, “Binatang”, yang menurut Suwarno menunjukkan kematangan teknik dan ide. Di sini, Saleh mengekspresikan adegan yang menegangkan dan situasi kritis. Karya-karya yang menunjukkan hal itu adalah Antara Hidup dan Mati (1948) yang melukiskan pertarungan dua ekor singa melawan seekor banteng. Karya lainnya adalah Hutan Membara (tanpa tahun). Karya ini menggambarkan sekawanan binatang yang “bersatu” dalam suasana senasib, menyelamatkan diri dari jilatan api.
Suwarno menduga, periode ini mencerminkan eksistensi Saleh di tengah kekuatan bangsa lain, atau tentang bangsanya (bangsa Jawa) yang tengah berada dalam cengkeraman kolonialisme. Dosen pascasarjana yang disertasinya mengenai Raden Saleh ini juga menafsirkan, karya-karya itu menggambarkan pertarungan diri Saleh antara kalah dan menang, antara baik dan buruk.
Dalam periode keempat, “Kesadaran Posisi”, Saleh dinilai berhasil memadukan antara modal sosial, modal kultural, dan modal ekonomi secara ideal. Meski dinilai mampu mengalahkan pertarungan melawan diri-sendiri, kehidupan Saleh berakhir dengan kesepian. Ia pindah dari istananya yang mewah di Cikini, Jakarta ke desa Bondongan di kawasan Bogor. Di sinilah Saleh dan isterinya, Raden Ayu Danudirejo, dimakamkan.
Periode inilah yang menjadi argumen Suwarno untuk menunjukkan sikap patriotik Saleh. Pada 1857, contohnya, Saleh melukis Penangkapan Pangeran Diponegoro yang merupakan reiinterpretasi dari lukisan dengan tema yang sama karya pelukis Belanda Nicolas Pieneman. Sepintas, kedua versi lukisan itu sama saja. Tapi, ada beberapa perbedaan prinsip yang menunjukkan secara jelas pendirian Raden Saleh.
Lukisan Pieneman berjudul The Submission of Diponegoro (tanpa tahun), yang menunjukkan bahwa tokoh tersebut menyerahkan diri. Saleh melukis kembali kisah yang dalam sejarah disebut Perang Jawa (1825--1830) itu dalam ukuran yang lebih besar, 150 X 200 cm, dan memberinya judul, The Arrest of Prince Diponegoro.
Suwarno memperlihatkan perbedaan-perbedaan di antara kedua versi. Antara lain, setting gedung dalam karya Saleh tidak berada di sebelah kanan, tapi di sebelah kiri dengan meniadakan gambar bendera Belanda yang terdapat pada versi Pieneman. Adegan dan gerak tubuh Diponegoro juga menggambarkan kondisi melawan. Yang menarik, dan ini tak asing dalam lukisan-lukisan Saleh lainnya, terdapat potret diri sang pelukis dalam lukisan ini. Beberapa pengikut Diponegoro juga digambarkan berwajah Raden Saleh.
Menurut Suwarno, dalam karya Saleh terdapat pembelaan, keberpihakan, romantisme yang terkait dengan kesadaran eksistensi. Lebih dari itu, lanjut Suwarno, “adalah munculnya kesadaran politik sebagai orang Jawa.”
Harap maklum, Jawa adalah suatu entitas bangsa pada masa berdirinya negara kolonial Hindia Belanda, ketika nama “Indonesia” sama sekali belum dikenal. Karenanya, cukup beralasan jika sebagian kalangan berpendapat Saleh seorang patriot yang melakukan perlawanan --dengan caranya sendiri-- terhadap penjajah Belanda.
Tapi, bagi pemakalah Mamannoor, pihak Belandalah yang menemukan bakat dan menentukan masa depan Saleh sebagai pelukis terkenal. Anggota tim kurator di Galeri Nasional Indonesia ini justru mengajukan pertanyaan retorik, bagaimana peran pemerintah Indonesia terhadap Raden Saleh? Jika menyangkut masa lalu, kata Mamannoor, “Anak kecil pun bisa menjawabnya, pemerintah Indonesia waktu itu belum ada.”
Apabila berkenaan dengan masa kini, lanjut pengajar di FSRD ITB, “Kitalah yang tahu, pemerintah tak bakal mau tahu. Untuk masa depan? Mungkin sama saja. Pemerintah Indonesia belum menjadi patron bagi dunia kesenian. Bukankah Raden Saleh Syarief Bustaman hanya sekadar nama?”
Seorang peserta diskusi yang hanya dihadiri sekitar 20-an orang itu berpendapat, Raden Saleh tidak membangun komunitas dan solidaritas dengan sesamanya, karena itu ia tak pantas disebut tokoh sejarah. “Apakah Raden Saleh seorang yang solider ataukah solitaire?” ujar peserta yang berprofesi sebagai pelukis.
Adalah Amir Sidharta, tampil sebagai pembanding dalam acara diskusi, yang membenarkan pendapat Suwarno bahwa sejarah adalah masalah versi --mungkin karena itulah ada pelesetan “his-story (cerita dia) atau our story (cerita kita)?”. Maka, terhadap pertanyaan mengenai solidaritas Saleh, Amir juga mempertanyakan, “Apakah Van Gogh itu seorang yang solider ataukah solitaire?”
Menurut kurator dari Universitas Pelita Harapan ini, pada masa lalu para siswa terjebak dalam hafalan tentang peristiwa dan tokoh. Merujuk kepada pendidikan sejarah di Amerika Serikat tempat ia pernah menimba ilmu, Amir menyebutkan bahwa kini pelajaran sejarah di AS cukup menjawab pertanyaan mengapa dan bagaimana seharusnya agar suatu peristiwa buruk tak terjadi lagi pada masa yang akan datang.
Direktur Galeri Larasati ini juga menyayangkan adanya ajaran untuk tidak menanyakan apa yang sudah ada dalam buku teks. “Padahal, yang ada dalam buku teks sangat minim,” ujarnya.
Amir mengatakan, sejarah seni rupa kita masih sangat bayi, dan analisis visualnya masih sangat lemah. Ini masih diperlemah dengan keterbatasan sumber. Cari informasi di Perpustakaan Nasional saja, contohnya, lebih lama ketimbang mencari di internet.
Yang jelas, dalam acara Mengenang Pelukis Raden Salah ini, tak satu pun karya asli pelukis besar itu terpampang. Yang ada hanyalah karya reproduksi dan reproduksi atas foto karya. Karya asli ada yang tersimpan di Istana Negara, Jakarta. Ada pula yang menjadi koleksi pribadi seseorang yang kabarnya tinggal di Jakarta.
Mengenai ketokohan Saleh dalam sejarah seperti dipertanyakan seorang peserta, Suwarno mengingatkan bahwa sejarah bukan melulu kisah tentang orang-orang terkenal. Sejarawan Sartono Kartodirdjo, sebut Suwarno, telah memulai menulis sejarah tentang orang-orang “biasa” dengan bukunya Pemberontakan Petani Banten. Jika seorang petani adalah tokoh sejarah, apalagi seorang Raden Saleh yang, menurut Mamannoor, secara personal telah menularkan banyak pengetahuan lingkungan dan “ilmu perkara binatang” (zoologi) kepada beberapa orang, termasuk bupati Bandung RAA Martanegara.
Akhir hidup Saleh, menurut Suwarno, menunjukkan pelukis ini telah mengakhiri periode “Kesadaran Posisi” dengan kerinduan akan nilai-nilai religiositas dan keinginan kembali ke sangkan-paran (asal-usul). Pada akhir hayatnya, Saleh berupaya menemukan kembali nilai-nilai agama yang telah melandasi sikap patriotiknya, yang ditunjukkan dengan pergaulannya dengan tokoh-tokoh agama setempat. Suwarno mengutipkan berita dari koran Java Bode, 28 April 1880, yang ia peroleh dari Nyonya Harsyah W Bachtiar:
Kita poenja corespondent dari Bogor toelis kabar jang berikoet: pada hari Minggoe tanggal 25 April djam 6 pagi maitnya Raden Saleh diiringi oleh banjak toean-toean ambtenaar, kandjeng toean Assistant, toean Boetmy dan lain-lain toean tanah, hadji-hadji, satoe koempoelan baris bangsa Islam, baik jang ada pangkat jang tiada berpangkat dan orang Djawa, sampe anak-anak Djawa dari Landbouwschool semoea anter itoe mait ke koeboer.
Penghoeloe-penghoeloe, kiai-kiai dan orang-orang alim soedah djoega ikoet anter. Itoe orang-orang Selam dan Djawa dan apa lagi itoe jang alim-alim soedah njanji sepandjang djalan dengan soeara jang sedih: “... Awlloh hoema salim Awlloh sajidina Moehammad Rasoeloellah” ....
(agung puspito) - Yayasan Senirupa Indonesia
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