Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur
Encyclopedia
Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres (9 February 1880 – 31 May 1958) was a Belgian
painter
from Brussels
who lived the last part of his life in Bali
.
by boat in 1932. He then stayed in Denpasar
Le Mayeur and was fascinated by what remained then of Balinese culture, including the Balinese people
's traditional way of life, the temple rituals and local dances. He was also impressed by the light, color and beauty of the surroundings in the then still quite unspoilt island.
Le Mayeur rented a house in banjar Kelandis, Denpasar, where he got acquainted with 15-year-old legong
dancer, Ni Nyoman Pollok, known by her nickname Ni Pollok , who later on became Le Mayeur's model for his paintings.
A number of Le Mayeur's Bali works using Ni Pollok as model were exhibited in Singapore
for the first time in 1933, which turned to be a very successful exhibition and made him more widely known. Returning from Singapore, Le Mayeur bought a piece of land at Sanur
beach and built a house. At this house, which was also Le Mayeur's studio, Ni Pollok with her two friends worked every day as models. The beauty and splendid figure of Ni Pollok had made Le Mayeur enjoy his stay in Bali. At first he intended to stay only for 8 months, but later on he decided to stay in the island for the rest of his life.
After three years working together, in 1935, Le Mayeur and Pollok got married. Le Mayeur kept on painting with his wife as his model during their married life. During the Japanese occupation of Indonesia
in World War II
Le Mayeur was put under house arrest by the Japanese authorities. He continued painting, however, often painting on rice sack cloth and other surfaces he could find. After the war Le Mayeur's reputation grew at steady pace.
Years after the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, Bahder Djohan
, the Indonesia
n Minister for Education and Culture visited Le Mayeur and Ni Pollok at their house in 1956. He was greatly impressed with the painter's work and therefore suggested to the couple that their house and all its contents should be preserved as a museum
. Le Mayeur agreed to the idea and since then he worked harder to add more collections to the house and to increase the quality of his works as well.
At last, Le Mayeur's dream came true that on 28 August 1957 a Deed of Conveyance Number 37 was signed, stating that Le Mayeur had given all his possessions including the land, his house with all its contents to Ni Pollok as a gift. And at the same moment, Ni Pollok then conveyed what she had inherited from her husband to the Government of Indonesia
to be used as a museum.
In 1958 Le Mayeur suffered from a severe ear cancer, and accompanied by Ni Pollok he returned to Belgium to have a medical treatment. After two months in Belgium, on 31 May 1958 the 78-year old painter died and was buried in Ixelles, Brussels. Ni Pollok then returned home to take care of her house which had become the Le Mayeur Museum
. She stayed there until her death on 18 July 1985 at the age of 68.
Le Mayeur and Ni Pollok's home is kept in its original condition and is still a museum where about 80 of Le Mayeur's works are exhibited, as well as his collection of traditional Balinese art
and local artifacts.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
from Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
who lived the last part of his life in Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
.
Biography
Adrien came to Bali at SingarajaSingaraja
Singaraja is the regency seat of Buleleng, Bali, Indonesia. The name is Indonesian for "Lion King". It is on the north coast just east of Lovina...
by boat in 1932. He then stayed in Denpasar
Denpasar
Denpasar is the capital city of the province of Bali, Indonesia. It has a rapidly expanding population of 788,445 in 2010, up from 533,252 in the previous decade. It is located at .-History:...
Le Mayeur and was fascinated by what remained then of Balinese culture, including the Balinese people
Balinese people
The Balinese population of 3.0 million live mostly on the island of Bali, making up 89% of the island's population. There are also significant populations on the island of Lombok, and in the eastern-most regions of Java The Balinese population of 3.0 million (1.5% of Indonesia's population) live...
's traditional way of life, the temple rituals and local dances. He was also impressed by the light, color and beauty of the surroundings in the then still quite unspoilt island.
Le Mayeur rented a house in banjar Kelandis, Denpasar, where he got acquainted with 15-year-old legong
Legong
Legong is a form of Balinese dance. It is a refined dance form characterized by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and expressive gestures and facial expressions....
dancer, Ni Nyoman Pollok, known by her nickname Ni Pollok , who later on became Le Mayeur's model for his paintings.
A number of Le Mayeur's Bali works using Ni Pollok as model were exhibited in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
for the first time in 1933, which turned to be a very successful exhibition and made him more widely known. Returning from Singapore, Le Mayeur bought a piece of land at Sanur
Sanur, Bali
Sanur is a coastal stretch of beach of Denpasar city of southeast Bali, about 30 minutes drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport, which has grown into a little town in its own right....
beach and built a house. At this house, which was also Le Mayeur's studio, Ni Pollok with her two friends worked every day as models. The beauty and splendid figure of Ni Pollok had made Le Mayeur enjoy his stay in Bali. At first he intended to stay only for 8 months, but later on he decided to stay in the island for the rest of his life.
After three years working together, in 1935, Le Mayeur and Pollok got married. Le Mayeur kept on painting with his wife as his model during their married life. During the Japanese occupation of Indonesia
Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Le Mayeur was put under house arrest by the Japanese authorities. He continued painting, however, often painting on rice sack cloth and other surfaces he could find. After the war Le Mayeur's reputation grew at steady pace.
Years after the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, Bahder Djohan
Bahder Djohan
Bahder Djohan was the 6th Minister of Education and Culture of Indonesia. He served in the Natsir and Wilopo Cabinets.- Background :...
, the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n Minister for Education and Culture visited Le Mayeur and Ni Pollok at their house in 1956. He was greatly impressed with the painter's work and therefore suggested to the couple that their house and all its contents should be preserved as a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. Le Mayeur agreed to the idea and since then he worked harder to add more collections to the house and to increase the quality of his works as well.
At last, Le Mayeur's dream came true that on 28 August 1957 a Deed of Conveyance Number 37 was signed, stating that Le Mayeur had given all his possessions including the land, his house with all its contents to Ni Pollok as a gift. And at the same moment, Ni Pollok then conveyed what she had inherited from her husband to the Government of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
to be used as a museum.
In 1958 Le Mayeur suffered from a severe ear cancer, and accompanied by Ni Pollok he returned to Belgium to have a medical treatment. After two months in Belgium, on 31 May 1958 the 78-year old painter died and was buried in Ixelles, Brussels. Ni Pollok then returned home to take care of her house which had become the Le Mayeur Museum
Le Mayeur Museum
The Le Mayeur Museum is a museum containing Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur's work as well as his collection of traditional Balinese art and local artifacts. It is located in Sanur, Bali, Indonesia.- External links :*...
. She stayed there until her death on 18 July 1985 at the age of 68.
Le Mayeur and Ni Pollok's home is kept in its original condition and is still a museum where about 80 of Le Mayeur's works are exhibited, as well as his collection of traditional Balinese art
Balinese art
Balinese art is art of Hindu-Javanese origin that grew from the work of artisans of the Majapahit Kingdom, with their expansion to Bali in the late 13th century. From the sixteenth until the twentieth centuries, the village of Kamasan, Klungkung , was the centre of classical Balinese art. During...
and local artifacts.