R.A. Soenarto, D.D.N., G.S., Regent van Grobogan en Raden Ajde 1910 - 1928

This double portrait of R.A. Soenarto and Raden Ajde, the Regent of Grobogan, comes from an unknown artist who used mixed media to create something charming. I can see the hand-painted vegetation around the two portraits. The artist might have found the black and white photos in their family album, and decided to dress them up a bit. It’s interesting to think about how the artist made this, carefully brushing on the greens and browns with an itty bitty brush to embellish the page. Each stroke had to be considered, responding to the geometry of the page, framing those elegant ovals. I can almost see the artist smiling, adding little swirls and flourishes to the composition, as if to say, "Here, let me add some nature to these austere portraits". It reminds me of those family portraits you see in folk art, where the artist is not necessarily thinking about “high art” but simply making something nice, something beautiful. In this way, art is a generous offering, isn't it? A celebration of life, family, and memory through color, form, and imagination.