Soewardja - (1900-1944 ) WATERCOLOR BEAUTIFUL INDIANS STYLE DUTCH EAST INDIES SIGNED GUNUNG TJIKOERAJ JAVA

WATERCOLOR SOEWARDJA 1900-1944 BEAUTIFUL INDONESIA STYLE DUTCH EAST INDIES SIGNED GUNUNG TJIKOERAJ JAVA

Offered for sale: a beautiful original watercolor by the renowned artist Soewardja (1900–1944). The watercolor is signed (Soewardja) in the lower left, dates from the late 1920s, and is painted in the Mooi Indië style. The location is indicated in the lower right: Gunung Tjikoeraj, situated in West Java.

The work is framed and behind glass. Soewardja was an Indonesian painter, born around 1900 in Bandung, at the time part of the Dutch East Indies. He is best known for his watercolors featuring romantic, idealized scenes of colonial Indonesia. He belongs to what art historians call the Mooi Indië movement, a style that was popular in the early 20th century and focused on idyllic, picturesque depictions of the archipelago—think mountains, rice fields, villages, rivers, and harbors, often rendered in a peaceful and atmospheric setting.

Style and themes: Soewardja worked primarily with watercolor and sometimes with oil paint. His subjects include: Tropical landscapes (especially Java), rural and kampung scenes, harbor views with boats and coastal activity, and soft, atmospheric lighting (often sunrise or sunset).

His work was particularly popular among Dutch residents in the former Dutch East Indies, who often bought these paintings as nostalgic souvenirs from the colony.

Historical context: Active in the late colonial period (c. 1920–1940) Worked in Batavia (present-day Jakarta) Had brothers who were also painters His style was later criticized by Indonesian nationalist artists, as the 'Beautiful Indies' style was seen as too idealized and colonially influenced

Dimensions: Including frame: approx. 35.5 × 26.3 cm Image itself: approx. 19 × 12.2 cm.

Please note: Light reflections on the glass are visible in some photos; these are naturally not present on the work itself.

Article number 1001492