Sotheby's asked to stop painting sale

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)