Last resort 1842

Raden Saleh painted “Last Resort” in 1842, depicting a dramatic scene of a lion attacking a horse and its rider, all teetering on the edge of a precipice. Saleh was a Javanese aristocrat who studied in Europe. His art reflects a fascinating blend of Eastern and Western influences. He embraced Romanticism, a European art movement that emphasized emotion, drama, and the power of nature. Yet, his choice of subject matter, with its exotic locale and dynamic action, also speaks to European Orientalist fantasies about the East. It’s tempting to see the painting as a metaphor for the artist's own position as a colonial subject navigating two different worlds. What did it mean for Saleh to adopt European artistic styles while representing his own cultural background? Understanding “Last Resort” requires delving into the history of colonialism, art academies, and the complex relationship between Europe and its colonies in the 19th century. Only through such research can we fully grasp the painting’s layered meanings and its place in art history.