K. Subagia Bongkasa painting, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.
November 2023.
Once again at my local auction house I saw 2 paintings advertised, opening bid $60AUD. The description read “Pair of Indonesian paintings in gilt frames. 64 x 89cm”. I knew right away they were Balinese. No signatures were photographed, not any mention of Bali.
I put in the opening bid and a week later I collected them. No one else bid, once again I could not believe my good fortune that no one else saw the beauty in these pieces. Yes, they are by an unknown artist, but they are detailed and beautiful. By the same artist, K Subagia, of whom I have found not reference online. One I will call “Dancers” and the other “Offerings”
Identical in size and frame. Both painted on canvas and then framed in Melbourne, Australia in 2003. More images of these two paintings below.
September 2024 Update
Nico van der Weerd from the Netherlands contacted me via email and share the two images to the right. He informed me that he purchased this painting in Bali in ~2012.
He went on to tell me that the painting shows or is titled “The Goddess of Education”
Nico also mentions that Subagia bongkasa was a student of the Dutch painter Arie Smit.
Dancers and the band.
As I also love textiles from Bali, such as Songket, Batik and Endek. I love the detail of the fabrics in this painting.
Offerings and Blessings
