Sotheby's asked to stop painting sale

JAKARTA (JP): Painter Sindusudarsono Sudjojono's family has asked Sotheby's in Singapore to stop an Oct. 1 auction of one of Sudjojono's paintings.

They say it is from a family collection that went missing 14 years ago.

Sudjojono's wife Rose Pandanwangi Sudjojono said on Thursday that the painting, originally entitled Djuang Main Ukulele (Djuang Plays Ukulele), was listed as Girl with Violin in Sotheby's catalog. The auction house estimates it will sell for between Sin$ 25,000 and Sin$ 30,000.

"The painting was never intended to be sold or given to anybody. That's why we have sent a letter to Sotheby's Indonesia to halt the auction to stop further ownership," said Rose at a press conference accompanied by her two daughters Maya and Pandanwangi. Art critic Amir Sidharta served as a moderator.

Maya said Sotheby's was also confused because the painting's owner had a certificate of ownership.

Rose said the family realized the painting was lost in 1989 when they were preparing to open a Museum dedicated to the painter in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.

"The (91cm X 71cm wide) painting was exhibited for the last time in 1986 at the opening of Duta Fine Arts Gallery (in South Jakarta)," she said.

The family also deplored the increasing number of fake Sudjojono paintings on the market. They alleged that four of the paintings to be auctioned at Sotheby's were fakes.

Sotheby's Indonesian paintings consultant Fifi Billion said that the auction company had received Sudjojono's letter on Wednesday and had forwarded it to the Singapore office.

"We have yet to decide whether to halt the auction. We have checked that the owner has an ownership certificate and the family can't produce evidence that it is theirs.

"However, we will help solve the case by asking the present owner about the history of the painting's ownership," she said. (ind)