Gamelan orchestra

Isaac Israëls was one of the leading Dutch impressionists. Artists and theatre performances like the Javanese gamelan orchestra shown here were a recurring theme in his work. That is why he is referred to as a ‘chronicler of the fleeting everyday life’. The Netherlands East Indies were an integral part of that cultural life and therefore also in his work. This is also true of many other artists of his generation. They became familiar with Indonesian culture through exhibitions and performances in the Netherlands or during trips to the Netherlands East Indies.
In 1915 Noto Soerotoe, Soewardi Soerjaningrat and Raden Mas Jodjana gave a dance performance in the Royal Theatre in The Hague in aid of the victims of a flood on the island of Java. Israëls befriended Raden Mas Jodjana and painted his portrait several times. In 1921-22, Israëls visited the Netherlands East Indies. Besides visiting Batavia, Bogor (former Buitenzorg), Yogyakarta and Bali, he also spent some time in Solo at the court of the Mangkunegara, where he was introduced by Raden Mas Jodjana. He was not really taken by the East Indies and therefore was glad to return to the Netherlands: ‘When all is said and done, the Netherlands is a country that allows you to live the best creative existence because there is never anything to distract you, since nothing ever happens.’ In answer to what impressed him most on Java he said: ‘That I could endure the climate so well.’
Gamelanorkest (Gamelan Orchestra) was painted in the Netherlands, probably after 1916. It was donated in 1926 on the occasion of the official opening of the Koloniaal Instituut.
Legêne, S. In: Legene, Susan & Janneke van Dijk, 'The Netherlands East Indies at the Tropenmuseum'. Amsterdam: KIT Publishers, 2010, p. 87.

met lijst: 164,5 x 244,2 x 9,1cm (64 3/4 x 96 1/8 x 3 9/16in.)
excl lijst: 131 x 211cm (51 9/16 x 83 1/16in.)

Source: collectie.tropenmuseum.nl