This drawing of two young dancers in the northern Dutch town of Laren was done by Rudolf Bonnet when he was 77, six years before his demise in Laren. It is as if he was recapturing his youth, when he was young and fancy free and the world was his oyster, where he travelled to north Africa and eventually Bali, where he had spent a total of two decades of his life painting and helping the local community as he was a friend of Cokorda Gde Agung Sukawati and Indonesian president Sukarno, who had collected 14 of his works but had him expelled, in 1957, when he refused to finish a commissioned portrait of Sukarno. He was instrumental in the Pita Maha movement and the design of the Museum Puri Lukisan. The best epilogue is that his ashes were brought back to Bali where he was burnt together in a grand cremation ceremony with his friend Cokorda. Rudolf Bonnet was one of the great personalities who fueled the Balinese legend as an artist's paradise, having helped set up the Pita Maha movement (with Walter Spies and Gusti Nyoman Lempad), and the Museum Puri Lukisan, and received posthumously, the Dharma Kusuma Art Award, Indonesia's highest cultural award. He was educated at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam, and arrived in Bali in 1929 where he had stayed until 1940. After time in internment camps in Pare-Pare, Bolong and Makassar, he returned to Bali and set up base in Campuan, where Antonio Blanco was. After his 1957 ban, he was to return to Bali in 1972 to complete work on the museum.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'View of the city of Kairouan, Tunisia', signed and dated Kairouan, 1928 upper right, black chalk and watercolour on paper. H. 57 cm. W. 99 cm.
Lot: 806 - Bonnet , Johan Rudolf (1985 - 1978, Dutch); Ni Ketut; executed in 1975; red chalk on paper; 70 x 35 cm; inscribed, signed and dated on lower right; Pickup point: Jakarta; Tags: Dutch, Netherlands, modern, drawing, figurative, bali, balinese IMPORTANT INFO Bidders need to know We encourage all buyers to check for condition reports and or other photos before bidding. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is free from damage and wear. Please go through photos for more details on conditions and age; color will be different depends on your screen. All the items are sold as is and all sales are final. We encourage all bidders to review our terms and conditions before bidding. Please contact us through email [email protected] if you need any further information.
Bonnet, John Rudolf (1895 - 1978, Dutch) Pentjak Bali, executed in 1939, pastels on paper, 49 x 60 cm, , Tags: The Netherlands, Dutch, modern, drawing, figurative, Balinese IMPORTANT INFO Bidders need to know We encourage all buyers to check for condition reports and or other photos before bidding. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is free from damage and wear. Please go through photos for more details on conditions and age; color will be different depends on your screen. All the items are sold as is and all sales are final. We encourage all bidders to review our terms and conditions before bidding. Please contact us through email [email protected] if you need any further information.
BONNET, Rudolf (Dutch 1895-1978) (2) 'Sandy,' and 'Ni Njoman,' Bali 1973. Both signed and inscribed. Pastel (2) 44x31cm, & 44x35cm PROVENANCE: Family collection of Kevin Weldon AM, who helped fund the building of the Ubud gallery artist centre in the early 1970s.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'Study of goats', signed lower right and 'Serviucia' upper right, charcoal on paper. H. 25 cm. W. 35 cm. Added: 9 studies by Bonnet, provenance: Collection Dr. H. de Roever-Bonnet.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'Giovanna', signed and dated Anticoli 7/'22 upper right, charcoal and pastel on paper. H. 95 cm. W. 75 cm. Damaged. Exihited: Bloemenheuvel Bloemendaal, January 1961, no. 35. Literature: H. de Boer, 'Rudolf Bonnet', in: 'Op De Hoogte magazine', vol. 21, 1924, no. 5, p. 82-86, ill. p. 84; Dr. H. de Roever-Bonnet,'Rudolf Bonnet - beauty remains', Middelburg, 2023, ill. p. 34 (with Bonnet in his studio).
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'Sidi Bou Said', signed upper right, titled and dated 1967, mixed media on paper. H. 28.5 cm. W. 54 cm. Unframed. Provenance: Sotheby's Amsterdam, 11 April 1995.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'Mohammed Ben Sala Ben Abdel Kader', signed upper right and dated 'Kairouan 1928' upper left, pastel on paper. H. 74.5 cm. W. 107.5 cm. Provenance: Gerard Anthonius van Putten (1873, Semarang Netherlands Indies - 1956, The Hague), director of the Firma G.A. van Putten en Co, an agency that acted on behalf of various firms, such as Rotterdam Lloyd and the Mercantile Bank of India Ltd. According to family stories this work was bought directly from Rudolf Bonnet at one of the exhibitions that Bonnet held in 1928. That year they were at Kleykamp, the Pulchri Studio and in the Rotterdam Art Circle; thence by descent; Auction Zeeuws Veilinghuis, 24-25 May 2011; Private Collection the Netherlands. Literature: Jan D. Voskuil, 'Teekeningen van Rudolf Bonnet', in: Op de hoogte magazine, Christmas edition 1928, ill.p. 301;Roever-Bonnet, dr. H. de, Rudolf Bonnet - beauty remains, Middelburg, 2023, ill. p. 43.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'The artist I Regoeg', signed and dated 'Bali 1940' lower right, pastel on paper. H. 58 cm. W. 44 cm. Literature: Roever-Bonnet, dr. H. de, Rudolf Bonnet - beauty remains, Middelburg, 2023, ill. p. 89.
Rudolf Bonnet, Dutch 1895-1978 - A Balinese man; pastel and charcoal on paper, signed, titled and annotated lower right 'R.Bonnet 1973 Bali', 48 x 30 cm (ARR) Provenance: Christie's London, Three Private Collections: Belgravia, Berkshire and Guernsey, 25th May 2023, lot 100 (unsold) Note: Bonnet first moved to Bali in 1929 and lived much of his life in the town of Ubud, producing innumerable images of the people and lifestyle that surrounded him. Bonnet formed the Pita Maha ('Great Spirit') in 1936 with I Gusti Nyoman Lempad and Cokorde Gde Agung Sukawati, which encouraged local interest in and production of higher standards in art. Bonnet helped establish the Museum Puri Lukisan Ubud - a museum of fine, Balinese art - in 1953 alongside the Prince of Ubud, Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati.
Rudolf Bonnet, Dutch 1895-1978 - Resting Grasscutter, 1976; pastel and charcoal on paper, signed, titled and dated upper left 'R. Bonnet Resting Grasscutter Bali 1976', 69 x 55.4 cm (ARR) Provenance: with Neka Art Gallery, Bali; private collection, purchased from the above in April 1976 (according to previous cataloguing); Christie's, London, Three Private Collections: Belgravia, Berkshire and Guernsey, 25th May 2023, lot 102 (unsold) Note: Bonnet first moved to Bali in 1929 and lived much of his life in the town of Ubud, producing innumerable images of the people and lifestyle that surrounded him. Bonnet formed the Pita Maha ('Great Spirit') in 1936 with I Gusti Nyoman Lempad and Cokorde Gde Agung Sukawati, which encouraged local interest in and production of higher standards in art. Bonnet helped establish the Museum Puri Lukisan Ubud - a museum of fine, Balinese art - in 1953 alongside the Prince of Ubud, Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati.
Rudolf Bonnet, Dutch 1895-1978 - Ni Ketut, 1975; red chalk on paper, signed, dated and inscribed lower right 'R.Bonnet Ni Ketut Bali 1975', 72.4 x 36.8 cm (ARR) Provenance: with Neka Art Gallery, Bali; private collection, purchased from the above in April 1976; Christie's, London, Three Private Collections: Belgravia, Berkshire and Guernsey, 25th May 2023, lot 101 (unsold) Note: Bonnet first moved to Bali in 1929 and lived much of his life in the town of Ubud, producing innumerable images of the people and lifestyle that surrounded him. Bonnet formed the Pita Maha ('Great Spirit') in 1936 with I Gusti Nyoman Lempad and Cokorde Gde Agung Sukawati, which encouraged local interest in and production of higher standards in art. Bonnet helped establish the Museum Puri Lukisan Ubud - a museum of fine, Balinese art - in 1953 alongside the Prince of Ubud, Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) Portret van een Balinese man en profiel gesigneerd gedateerd en geannoteerd 'R.BONNET/BALI '42' (linksboven) potlood op papier 20x17 cm (met lijst: 23x20 cm) Conditie: papier enigzins vergeeld, minieme vlekjes, kleine beschadiging van het papier (rechtsonder)
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) View on Kairouan, Tunisiasigned, dated and annotated upper right 'Kairouan 1928/ R. Bonnet'black chalk and watercolour on paper, 57 x 99 cm
Lot: 804, Bonnet, Johan Rudolf (1895 - 1978, Dutch), Portrait of a Balinese Man, 1973, pastel on paper, 72 x 52 cm, signed and dated on lower right, inscribed on lower left, Tags: Dutch, The Netherlands, modern, drawing, figurative, Balinese IMPORTANT INFO Bidders need to know We encourage all buyers to check for condition reports and or other photos before bidding. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is free from damage and wear. Please go through photos for more details on conditions and age; color will be different depends on your screen. All the items are sold as is and all sales are final. We encourage all bidders to review our terms and conditions before bidding. Please contact us through email [email protected] if you need any further information.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) Design for stained glass, around 1913-1919, watercolour on paper. H. 61 cm. W. 49 cm. Literature: Roever-Bonnet, dr. H. de, Rudolf Bonnet - beauty remains, Middelburg, 2023, ill. p. 197.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'Koenhartadi', signed lower right and 'Koenhartadi Bali 1973' lower left, pastel on paper. H. 60.5 cm. W. 34 cm. Literature: Roever-Bonnet, dr. H. de, Rudolf Bonnet - beauty remains, Middelburg, 2023, ill. p. 175 (full page). Added to this lot: the new book 'Rudolf Bonnet - beauty remains'.
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'Petite Bedouine' ('Bedouin Girl'), signed upper right and 'Kairouan '28' upper left, pastel on paper. H. 46 cm. W. 39.5 cm. Literature: Roever-Bonnet, dr. H. de, Rudolf Bonnet - beauty remains, Middelburg, 2023, ill. p. 39 (full page).
Rudolf Bonnet (1895-1978) 'Two Balinese ladies', signed and dated 'Bali 1975' upper left, pastel on paper. H. 110 cm. W. 72 cm. Literature: Roever-Bonnet, dr. H. de, Rudolf Bonnet - beauty remains, Middelburg, 2023, ill. p. 10 (archive image with the artist); Roever-Bonnet, dr. H. de, Rudolf Bonnet, een Zondagskind, Pictures Publishers, Wijk en Aalburg, The Netherlands, 1993, p. 108, ill. 71.
BONNET, Rudolf (Dutch 1895-1978) (2) 'Sandy,' and 'Ni Njoman,' Bali 1973. Both signed and inscribed. Pastel (2) 44x31cm, & 44x35cm PROVENANCE: Family collection of Kevin Weldon AM, who helped fund the building of the Ubud gallery artist centre in the early 1970s.
'D'Una Famiglia', signed, annotated and dated 'R. Bonnet / Anticoli / 5/24' (upper right), pastel, pencil and charcoal on paper, 116,5x112 cm, , Exhibited:-Amsterdam, Kunstzaal A. Mak, Rokin 13, ‘Tentoonstelling van werk uit Italië door R. Bonnet’ / ‘Exhibition of works from Italy by R. Bonnet’, 16 January - 1 February 1926, illustrated on the invitation card.Literature:-Anne Hallema, De Hollandsche Revue, jrg. 31, 1926, no. 1, ill. p. 23.-H. de Boer, Op De Hoogte, geïllustreerd maandschrift, ill. p. 12.Provenance:-Acquired by an Italian-Dutch family as first buyer, possibly at the Bonnet exhibition of 1926 at Kunstzaal Mak, Amsterdam, or shortly after and most definitely before 1940. The first buyer owned several artworks by Rudolf Bonnet. Thence by descent to the present owners. , ‘D’Una Famiglia’ (1924): Balanced beauty in simplicityRudolf Bonnet was mostly known for his figure paintings. Two groups of people inspired him most in this respect: the inhabitants of the village of Anticoli in Italy, followed by the inhabitants of the island of Bali, Indonesia, from 1928 onwards.EducationRudolf Bonnet knew from a very young age that he wanted to become an artist. Although his father did not immediately rejoice at this prospect, the determined Rudolf grew into a skilled and very competent artist through his studies at the Hendrik de Keyser school, the State School of Applied Arts (‘Rijksschool voor Kunstnijverheid’) and the State Academy of Fine Arts (‘Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten’), which were all located in Amsterdam, and finally the School for Architecture, Decorative Arts and Artistic Trades (‘School voor Bouwkunde, Versierende Kunsten en Kunstambachten’) in Haarlem.Trip to AnticoliHis artistic calling takes shape after he travelled to Italy with his parents in 1920 and was swept up by the Italian landscape and its inhabitants, specifically the area around Anticoli, close to artists’ towns Rome and Tivoli. Soon after this trip, Bonnet decides to return to Anticoli, where he develops his recognisable style. A personal style that breathes experience and credibility and was heavily influenced by his sincere interest in the inhabitants of the town. As Drs H. de Roever-Bonnet stated: ‘The townspeople accepted him in their community and with them, he shared their life. He visited their homes and sat with them in the tavern, he listened to their stories and sang their songs with them. He participated in their celebrations and even joined a pilgrimage to a church in a nearby village. All townspeople were his friends’. (1)RecognitionThis inspiration led to an immeasurable urge to create, which was so powerful he could organise his first big exhibition in March 1924, in ‘Kunstzaal Kleykamp’, in The Hague. The exhibition was well-attended, leaving visitors surprised and in awe of the quality of the hitherto unknown Rudolf Bonnet. Even the famous Jan Toorop and architect H.P. Berlage attended the exhibition, which was seen as the greatest honour.The surprising works created by Bonnet were received in an overwhelmingly positive way by the critics, of which Just Havelaar was the most outspoken one. In ‘Vaderlandsche Kunst’, publicist Anne Hallema quotes Havelaar in 1926 as follows: ‘He sees the spirit, the character, the race. The beautiful and still classical Italian town’s folk are portrayed sharply and gloriously by him. The style, of which these people are the living embodiment, … he knows to condense into a conscious, aesthetic style. At best, we can compare this work to the portraits and larger-than-life figures of Toorop… a beautiful steadiness in his lines, a strong sense of shape, a convincing power of imagination, showing a great vision… to see this beautiful, human, rousing simplicity, this clear glorification of life.’ (2)In the January edition of the magazine Op de Hoogte in 1926, H. de Boer writes extensively about Bonnet’s art and states about our drawing: ‘Great care is taken by Bonnet in rendering the background of ‘D'Una Famiglia’. This work is completely thought through.’ De Boer is unendingly complementary about ‘D'Una Famiglia’: ‘The intimacy of it reminds one of the pious nature of the primitives. The measure of calm this sitting farmer here has, is nowadays only reached by those whose land is not plagued by modern skepticism. He is utterly in awe of the power which is endlessly greater than people’s. The woman is the dark sister of Madonna’s from Mediaeval, Italian and Flemish Masters: one finds here his love for the broad strokes first, for the details last, this is proven by the reproduction of the detail in the woodgrain, of the wicker-bottle, which stands on its own as a still life. Still life, the still inner life, is what has to be expressed here and the endless adoration for the details betrays the love here, which the canvas has to reveal. The pious togetherness is palpable. This sitting is like a prayer…’.(3)Biblical monumentalityThis drawing is of great monumentality. The two family members pictured here, brother and sister, sitting at a table with a glass wine and a wicker-bottle in a simple interior, exude a great inner peace which seems to originate from their self-evident piousness and acceptance of life. With the almost exact mirroring of the composition, the image is emphasised. The clear division in horizontals and verticals stresses the calm and simple composition. The woman wears a red wrap over a blue dress: an association with Mary is easily made. This pastel artwork proves Bonnet’s talent, as two figures sitting across from one another in a simple setting have achieved a Biblical monumentality. Anne Hallema asked the artist whether he was inspired by the Bible, to which Bonnet responded: ‘Indeed, in Aticoli you get the opportunity to read The Old Book. I started reading it. When you read about the shepherds in Genesis, well, that is Anticoli.’ Hallema continues: ‘That is the epic romance of healthy originality and prophetic seeing. I think of the word of Millet: ‘Il faut pouvoir faire servir le trivial à l'expression du sublime, c'est là, la vraie force’. Here is the great power, which makes a daily thing from life […] servicable to the portrayal of an exalted feeling, because of which the temporary and the mundane are transposed to the eternal and godlike.’ (4) Comparison to TooropBonnet’s work has been compared to Toorop’s a myriad of times. Hallema speaks of ‘Bonnet’s beautiful, pliable figures, his valiantly built figures with their serious humanity,’ and states they captivate her more than ‘Toorop’s pastor-like figures, he-who-pretends… it is like in Bonnet’s work black crayon is transformed into bronze.’ (5). In contrast to Toorop, Bonnet’s work is more stilled, more balanced than the dramatic monumental drawings of Jan Toorop.Two family works from AnticoliIn his article about Bonnet in the column ‘Vaderlandsche kunst’ in the De Hollandsche Revue, Anne Hallema extensively discusses both ‘D’Una Famiglia’ (1924) and ‘Famiglia d’Anticoli’ (1925) and finds them equals. ‘In two prominent works with life-sized figures, Bonnet expressed his feeling for the intimacy of domestic bliss, D'una famiglia (from one family) soon after his return to Holland, Famiglia d'Anticoli after his return from Amalfi. Both display the safety and comfort he felt in the mountain village. In the first, brother and sister sit together at a table in a silent room, in the other husband, wife and four children are reunited with grandmother in a farmer’s abode.’ And concering ‘D’Una Famiglia: ‘Although there are beautiful details to behold, such as il fiasco (wine bottle), la conca (jug), cocozzi (gourds), the uniquely pure-coloured wine-red scarf around her shoulders and the excellent bright red and green-coloured fascia (belt) of the young man, still the beautiful looks of the people and things in this interior are not the primary focus. This work is of a deep inner beauty because of the peace and calm in the souls of these pious people. A serious earnestness is depicted on the oval face of the silent, attentive girl, an earnestness that is part of those who in their genuine faith know their soul is safe in God’s care, although earthly life brings bitterness and grief with it.’ (6)Appreciated by SoekarnoPresident Soekarno was a big admirer of Bonnet’s work, not only of his Balinese works but also his Italian ones. Soekarno was very complementary to Bonnet, with the statement ‘Bonnet is the only painter who understands Indonesia’ (7). During an official visit to Bonnet on Bali in 1951, Soekarno bought a big pastel artwork from 1925, titled ‘Famiglia d’Anticoli’, and a painting of goatherders. These works are now included in the presidential collection of Indonesia. Shortly after the purchase by Soekarno, he writes in June 1951 to Bonnet: ‘I am glad the Italian works will soon be on display in Merdeka Palace.’ (7)’D’Una Famiglia’, dated May 1924, is Bonnet’s first important work after the exhibition at Kleykamp in The Hague, in March that year. Even more than ‘Famiglia d’Anticoli’ in the presidential collection of Soekarno, does ’D’Una Famiglia’ show the balance and monumental modesty.This important drawing is the realisation of Bonnet’s drive to achieve balanced beauty in simplicity. With the devoted aesthetic that he drew upon in this close scene between family members, Bonnet shows that he understands the mysticism of faith and life and knows how to depict it. He did this from 1920 to 1928 in Italy, and later again in a Balinese environment.Sources:1. Dr. H. de Roever-Bonnet ‘Rudolf Bonnet, Een zondagskind’, Pictures Publishers Wijk en Aalburg 1993, p.17.2. Anne Hallema, De Hollandsche Revue, jrg. 31, 1926, no.3, p. 14.3. H. de Boer, Op De Hoogte, geïllustreerd maandschrift, p. 12 (with ill.) and p. 14.4. Anne Hallema, De Hollandse Revue, jrg. 31, 1926 no. 1, p. 13, 15 and 16.5. Anne Hallema, De Hollandsche Revue, jrg. 31, 1926 no.1, p. 20.6. Anne Hallema, De Hollandsche Revue, jrg. 31, 1926 no. 1, p. 22 (and ill. p. 23).7. Dr. H. de Roever-Bonnet, ‘Rudolf Bonnet, Een zondagskind’, Pictures Publishers Wijk en Aalburg 1993, p.62.
'Patas Makako', signed and dated 'R Bonnet / 1/20' (upper right); titled 'Patas Makako' (upper left), charcoal and chalk, heightened in white, on paper, 61x59 cm, , Provenance:-Auction, Christie's Amsterdam, 26 September 2006, lot 73. -Auction, Venduehuis The Hague, 28 Augustus 2019, lot 129. , In 1917, Rudolf completed his studies at the School for Architecture, Decorative Arts and Artistic Trades (‘School voor Bouwkunde, Versierende Kunsten en Kunstambachten’) in Haarlem. From that moment onwards, he started as a novice artist in a rented studio at the Leidseplein. Not much is known about this period of his life.His drawing style in this period was heavily inspired by Toorop, but above all, the few known artworks from this period indicate that he was searching for his own style.In ‘Rudolf Bonnet, Een zondagskind’ a sketch of monkeys is shown with a similar stylisation as in the artwork in our auction, which displays a more detailed version of the composition with monkeys. This lot, titled ‘Patas Makako’ is dated ‘1/20’, representing January 1920. Ten months later, Bonnet visits Italy for the first time.Source: Dr H. de Roever-Bonnet, ‘Rudolf Bonnet, Een zondagskind’, Pictures Publishers Wijk en Aalburg 1993.
45 x 36 cm ; 76.3 x 67.7 cm (with frame) pastel on paper signed and dated 1969 upper right 约翰·鲁道夫·博内《印度尼西亚人的肖像》 1969年作 粉彩 纸本 款识：R. Bonnet 1969（右上） This lot is located in Singapore
72 x 65 cm ; 84 x 77.5 cm (with frame) pastel, heightened in white on paper, framed signed upper right and dated 'Laren 1971' and inscirbed 'De dichter Leo R' upper left 约翰·鲁道夫·博内《诗人利奥·里肯斯珀尔》1971年作 粉彩 纸本 画框 款识：R.Bonnet（右上）De Dichter Leo R. Laren 1971（左上） This lot is located in Singapore
