Lot 165: Ida Bagus Made Togog (Geria Ageng, Batuan, 1913-1989)

The Witch-Queen Rangda Grants a Boon Wash technique and watercolour on paper, framed and glazed. 47 x 36 cm. The artist was a member of the Pita Maha artists' association. Along with Ngendon, Togog is regarded a leader in the group of Batuan painters and among the first to learn to paint, about two and a half years before Bateson & Mead arrived. He had painted designs on dancers' costumes and knew how to write classical Balinese on palm-leaf manuscripts ( lontar ). He was also a ritual specialist. Togog often visited Spies and Bonnet to see them at work. Togog assisted Bateson in checking the attributions of the paintings. Bateson and Mead collected eighty-three pictures by the artist (Geertz, op.cit. p.114). Inscribed with the artist's name by Rudolf Bonnet on the reverse. See also the List of Exhibitions in this catalogue. PROVENANCE Dr. F. Bonne, Amsterdam (Dr. Bonne was a scientific researcher at the Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen, Amsterdam).